Seven years since it was first mooted, Monte Branco – purportedly Portugal’s “largest case of fiscal fraud and money laundering”- is at last close to finalising accusations.
But before anyone gets too excited, people’s tabloid Correio da Manhã suggests many of the 40 ‘arguidos’ (formal suspects) will get off with “payments of taxes to the State” as the case will almost certainly be “provisionally suspended”.
It doesn’t help (the authorities) that key suspect Francisco Canas has died.
Monte Branco promised to lift the lid on a veritable Who’s Who of insider dealing and devilry.
Said Observador in 2014, it is “the investigation of a network that connected the directors of the Swiss fortunes of Akoya Asset Management, a company led by Michel Canals and Nicolas Figueiredo, to Portuguese clients.
“This network functioned between Portugal, Switzerland and Cape Verde” and had Francisco Canas as intermediary in what allegedly became “a tax evasion and money-laundering network used by influential people in Portugal connected to politics, the economy and sports”.
The reason for the Public Ministry suddenly spurring forwardswith accusations is that all the alleged crimes now are in danger of ‘exceeding judicial time limits’.
Says tabloid Correio da Manhã, prosecutors have been “concentrating” on Operation Marquês – another long running inquiry – to the point that Monte Branco almost ground to a halt.
Former BES boss Ricardo Salgado has been cited in the inquiry, but CM suggests he will be left out of any accusations as “part of the crimes are being investigated” in another case – again far from being ready with charges: Universe GES.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
