Lawyers for those arrested in Operation Labyrinth arrived in court today as Judge Carlos Alexandre kicked off proceedings by questioning one of the three Chinese businessmen detained last week in an operation aiming to uncover any corruption involved in the issuing of Golden Visas to wealthy foreigners.
The director of the Borders and Foreigners Service, an employee of the Institute of Registries and Notaries and a Chinese citizen were heard yesterday and questioning continued this morning at the Central Criminal Court in Lisbon.
The former Secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice, Maria Antónia Anes was scheduled to be heard and then the president of the Institute of Registries and Notaries, António Figueiredo.
Jarmela told Judge that he had 'facilitated' some of the golden visa applications when he received 'special requests' to speed things along by senior government officials, such as António Figuerido.
Officers working on Operation Labyrinth arrested 11 people last Thursday on suspicion variously of corruption, money laundering, influence peddling and embezzlement, according to the Attorney General's Office.
For background, see:
Comments
It seems some have not covered their tracks well enough. To quote - ref below " The report I heard states over 200 SEF employees, including lawyers, in 60 locations around the country are implicated".
http://www.expatfocus.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=40596/
There is a stunningly clear assumption though that this Labyrinth case investigation is not at all driven by Portugal.
That too many Chinese (and other?) gangsters and serious dodgies were coming in. Slapping down half a million on an apartment in Portugal worth half that. But then free to re-locate themselves anywhere else in Europe. Without - in theory - any further checks on their movements.
Then another EU country or several started cross referencing these new dodgies 'on their manor'. And the trail led back to Portugal.
This Labyrinth case ties in too many seriously important Portuguese heavyweights to be anything the Portuguese elite would have had any interest to come clean on.
Now being told to clean it up !!