The former director of BES Madeira has property at the shelter of the yard

The former director of the BES in Madeira, João Alexandre Silva, received, a week ago, his best news from last year. The Lisbon Court of Appeal has confirmed the arrest of the valuable real estate that is found in his name and those of his ex-wife, "frozen" for about a year and a half as part of the l & # 39; 39, investigation of the affairs of the Espírito Santo group.

The Lisbon Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal of the former banking director of Madeira and acknowledged that there had been an error in the arrest procedure of the company. Assets initiated by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Enforcement (DCIAP) and authorized by Judge Carlos Alexander. A 71-hour delay in the constitution of defendant João Alexander at the end of June 2017 has proven providential for the defendant and his family, who once again have vast assets for everything. Even for sale.

Until now, the assets have been seized in guarantee of the payment of 3.3 million euros, amount that would have been received by João Alexander in reward for his role in the bribery of business executives and leaders of Venezuela in a case involving BES. . The following properties were "frozen": two apartments in the luxury Espaço Amoreiras building in Lisbon; a farm in São Gonçalo, Funchal; a fraction in Aparthotel Luamar and a plot on the site of Pedras Pretas, in Porto Santo; a parking space in the Arriaga building, in the center of Funchal; and five small agricultural lands on the Quebrada site, in the Arc de Saint-Georges. In addition to owning two Maserati and an Aston Martin, João Alexandre owns a 2.3 million dollar apartment in Dubai that was offered to him in 2013 by order of Ricardo Salgado.

The ex-BES man in Madeira still owns a luxury apartment in the Funchal Centrum / La Vie building and has apparently escaped the DCIAP magistrates since he was never arrested .

But all is not good news for the former bank manager. On 23 October, the Lisbon Court of Appeal rejected his appeal for the application of lighter coercive measures. João Alexandre, who is forbidden to leave Portugal, wanted this measure to be replaced by a monthly or bi-monthly presentation to the police. The accused "has permanent residence and his entire professional and economic life is concentrated in Dubai." The ban on being away from home means, strictly speaking, that it has been deprived of his residence and forbidden to work, "his lawyers said in his appeal.

These arguments, which did not sensitize the judges of the prosecution, who consider the current legal and very stringent coercion measures: "Nothing is more misleading than in a criminal case that may involve corruption offenses of international public officials, involving companies (with sophisticated financial engineering) hundreds of millions of US dollars can be treated by confinement simply by monthly or biweekly reporting obligation! "

Since May 2018, João Alexandre is forbidden to leave the country. Previously, he had been arrested at home for 11 months with an electronic bracelet. Because he had decided to settle in Dubai, he was the only one accused of being deprived of liberty.