Former State Comptroller General Carlos Pólit pleaded not guilty to the six charges for which he is accused in the United States. One for alleged conspiracy to commit money laundering, three for alleged cover-up of money laundering and two for allegedly participating in private property transactions derived from activities criminal.
According to the Fraud section of the Criminal Division and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Pólit would have been part of a scheme to use the United States financial system to launder money, promote and cover up a bribery scheme that occurred in Ecuador.
On the morning of May 27, the hearing was held in the South District Court of Miami, Florida. According to Ecuadorian journalist Galo Arellano, who covered the proceedings, Pólit denied the charges.
When leaving the place, he refused to answer questions from the media, according to a video of Arellano that was replicated on the social network Twitter by legislator Fernando Villavicencio, president of the National Assembly Oversight Commission. In the shots, the family and the lawyers of the former official are observed.
URGENT| The former comptroller 100/100 of the co-ordination, Carlos Pólit, pleaded not guilty. Leaving the Miami court, he refused to answer questions regarding the origin of the millionaire bail delivered. good job of @Galoecuador pic.twitter.com/EJWJxHxPt2
– Fernando Villavicencio Valencia (@VillaFernando_) May 27, 2022
In the accusation of the American Justice once morest Pólit it is indicated that, between 2010 and 2016, the then official would have requested bribes for more than $ 10 million from Odebrecht in exchange for using his power as comptroller to influence the official actions of the Comptroller in favor of the Brazilian and its businesses in Ecuador. He is also being investigated for allegedly having requested and received in 2015 a bribe of regarding $500,000 from an Ecuadorian businessman for the help to obtain certain contracts related to the state company Seguros Sucre.
Initially, Pólit was detained for a few weeks, but later a bail of $14 million was accepted so that he can defend himself in freedom. (YO)
