During the hearing, at the request of the Third Section of Economic Crimes, the apprehension was legalized, charges were filed, and provisional detention was ordered for the jurist; while the pastor was placed under house arrest due to his age while the investigations are ongoing. A lawyer and a pastor were charged with the crime against economic assets, in the form of aggravated fraud, to the detriment of a church located in Llano Largo de La Chorrera, where an economic injury of one and a half million dollars was caused. According to the Public Ministry, the facts of this case date back to May 31, 2017, when in the city of Panama, without the authorization of the church's General Assembly, the pastor signed a fraudulent promissory note with the lawyer, legal representative of a company, a document that guaranteed a simulated loan in favor of this; an obligation that was deliberately breached, seizing goods, land, and assets of the congregation, causing an economic damage of $1,500,000. The defense appealed the decision, and the appeal hearing was scheduled for February 2, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.
Lawyer and Pastor Charged with $1.5 Million Fraud
In Panama, a lawyer and a pastor face charges of aggravated fraud against a church. An appeal hearing has been scheduled in the case of embezzlement of church property and assets amounting to $1.5 million.
