José Guilherme, the businessman famous for giving Ricardo Salgado a ‘gift’ of €14 million, said he lost €25 million when the Bank of Portugal divided Banco Espírito Santo into good bank/bad bank and could still "lose a lot more."
In February, the humble builder was called to the committee of inquiry looking into the BES collapse so he could some clarification about allegations that he sent a €14 million present to his friend Ricardo Salgado, the former president of BES, but claimed he could not travel due to poor health as rather conveniently he was living in Angola, but he could write down his answers.
In Guilherme’s replies dated March 28th, the businessman said he has lost "about €25 million and could lose a lot more," but declined to explain the gift he gave Ricardo Salgado, since he is under investigation by the Central Department of Investigation and Prosecution.
The former president of the Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão ISEG, João Duque, has called Ricardo Salgado 'a swindler of the worst kind," in an interview.
Salgado has taken exception to this comment and has received a letter from the current ISEG director Mário Caldeira which states that he understands his predecessor’s views but does not endorse them.
João Duque’s statements were repeated in Ricardo Salgado’s second hearing at the commission of inquiry on March 19th by MP Carlos Abreu Amorim.
The current president of the ISEG also said that João Duque comments cannot be attributed to the institution,
"Professor João Duque does not represent the ISEG and any statements made are purely in a personal capacity. The President of ISEG does not endorse the perspective expressed in this text."
At the end of the letter, Mario Caldeira says goodbye to Ricardo Salgado, with 'high personal esteem," thanking him for his assistance in this matter.
Comments
Nothng particularly odd ... if you know anything about Portugal. And the Portuguese elite.
Can we assume that there has been a recent anonymous donation to ISEG of x million euros to build an Espirito Santo School of Business Strategy?
Diverted from some Brussels funded project to fund 'destitute pensioner retirement homes' so not actually costing the 'swindler' a cent ?
This chap not showing up to the Parliamentary enquiry - like several others with much to tell us - yet again shows how the whole process is just a pantomime. A farce.
Intended to mislead the world that Portugal is finally getting a grip on 'VIP misbehaviour' ... but in reality just papering it over until the funding tap is back on in earnest.
João Duque shows that he at least is alive to the damage which Salgado has done, and has the courage to say so.