US sanctions three people for corruption, money laundering in Paraguay

United States this sanctioned Tuesday three people suspected of being involved in a money laundering ring, whom he accuses of playing a role in corruption in Paraguay, five related companies.

The US Treasury Department has identified the three sanctioned Paraguayans as Kassem Mohamad Hijazi (who was arrested on Tuesday), Khalil Ahmad Hijazi and Liz Paola Doldán, which are penalized under the Ley Global Magnitsky, which Washington applies to the authors of human rights violations and corruption around the world.

He also sanctioned three companies owned by Khalil Ahmad Hijazi, Emprendimientos Inmobiliarios Misiones SA, Apolo Informática SA and Mundo Informático Paraguay SA.; to the one controlled by Mohamed Mohamad Hijazi, Spain Informática SA (registered in Paraguay); and another that Doldán owns, Mobile Zone International Import-Export SRL

The United States explained in its memo that Kassem Mohamed Hijazi has been working as a dispatcher in Paraguay since at least 2017 and that he is the alleged leader of a money laundering organization based on Eastern town.

According to the Treasury, this sanctioned has “strong ties“With politicians, police officers, prosecutors and owners of money exchange companies from this locality, that provide protection and the economic power to operate in the region.

Likewise, according to the US government, he has a link with Paraguayan executive officials, which allows him to no legal action is taken against your illegal organization. What “forwarding agent», Adds the Treasury, Kassem Mohamad Hijazi, employs companies of import and export, such as España Informática SA, to transport goods from the United States and sell them in Paraguay.

The money obtained from this activity goes through the exchange offices and banks in Ciudad del Este to send it to United States, China and Hong Kong, among other places. Hijazi United States Spain as a basis for coordination with suppliers in the United States and China for import electronic equipment to Paraguay, avoiding taxes and for laundering money with this activity.

The Treasury explained that in the case of Khalil Ahmad Hijazi, it sanctioned him for “Have materially assisted, sponsored or provided financial, material or technological support for items or services or in support of Kassem. “

For its part, the Treasury identifies Doldan as one of the associates of Kassem Mohamad Hijazi and claims that he is intermediate when shipping goods from the United States, Washington says middlemen pay bribes to port workers, dispatchers and other Paraguayan customs officials to process imports and exports through ports of entry into Paraguay.

The US government recalled that Doldán and his network were the target in 2019 of an anti-corruption operation in Paraguay, developed in Ciudad del Este and Asunción. According to the American authorities, this woman would have employed her company, Mobile Zone International Import-Export SRL, to purchase items from a company based in Miami (Florida, USA) and then ship those goods to shell companies in Paraguay.

The Secretary of State, Antoine Blink, said in a statement that the sanctions “They represent a world government effort to fight corruption at the triple border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.”

As a result of this measure, The assets that these persons and entities may hold under US jurisdiction are frozen and financial transactions with US financial institutions are prohibited.

(With information from EFE)

Read on: