A federal grand jury in the United States has indicted alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles and five others for funneling in and out $20-million (Php1.06-billion) worth of Philippine government funds through a “multi-year bribery and fraud scheme.”
In a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice (US DOJ), Napoles, alongside five members of her family including her children Jo Christine, James Christopher, and Jeane Catherine; brother Reynald Luy Lim, and his wife Ana Marie were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering, and international money laundering.
The Philippine government funds mentioned in the indictment was “fraudulently converted money from a lump-sum discretionary ‘Priority Development Assistance Fund’ (PDAF) granted to each member of the Philippines Congress as well as other government funds designed to benefit poor Filipinos.”
The indictment also mentioned unnamed 20 Philippine legislators who were also involved in the fraud.
US DOJ added that Napoles transferred the money to different bank accounts and was used to buy real estate properties and investments in businesses, among others.
“Approximately $20 million of those funds were diverted to money remitters in the Philippines and then wired to Southern California bank accounts where the money was used to purchase real estate, shares in two businesses, two Porsche Boxsters, and finance the living expenses of three family members residing in the United States: Jeane Napoles, Reynald Lim, and Ana Lim,” the statement read.
US DOJ also mentioned that following Napoles’ arrest, she and her family members “attempted to quietly liquidate the assets in the United States, secretly repatriate most of the resulting funds back to the Philippines and to other accounts in the U.S. and United Kingdom, and disburse some of the funds to Jeane Napoles, who used the money to finance her lifestyle and open a fashion business.”
Another civil forfeiture case, handled by US district judge, James V. Selna, regarding a $12.5-million real estate property in Southern California, which has been seized by the United States Attorney’s Office, is currently ongoing.
“If the court orders the assets forfeited, the United States will work with Philippine officials in an attempt to return the stolen funds back to the Philippine government,” the statement said.
US DOJ added that they are also working closely with the Philippine government to resolve the case, which Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed.
“We have been quietly working together with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the conspiracy to commit money laundering cases. Although we cannot extradite Napoles until her cases in Philippine courts have been terminated, the DOJ will extend all assistance to its US counterpart in prosecuting the money laundering cases, and in ensuring that our people’s money is returned in due time to our national treasury,” he said in a statement.
