https://www.prensa.com/judiciales/lujos-y-grandes-gastos-las-pruebas-de-la-fiscalia-contra-hector-brands/

The case against Hector Brands exposed the apparent empire of luxury and money that surrounded the former deputy of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) and former director of Pandeportes, an economic flow that, according to the Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime, also reached his family circle.

The details came to light in the hearings in which Brands and part of his family were charged with money laundering, in which the arrest of the former congressman and his close collaborator Elvis Enrique Rodríguez was ordered.

One of the situations that caught the attention of the prosecution was the expenses made by Brands related to the purchase of jewelry and credit cards.

The investigation revealed that he spent $28,889 on jewelry purchases at the exclusive Euro Boutique.

Among the jewelry were an 18-karat gold necklace valued at $6,889, a bracelet worth $10,957, another necklace worth $6,000, a Cartier Santos watch worth $7,000, and a bracelet worth $9,000.

Another aspect of the investigation involves transfers totaling $554,000 made by Elvis Rodríguez through the company Multiservicios Modernos, which holds contracts for cleaning the Coastal Strip, and which were used to pay for Platinum Visa credit cards.

Rodríguez is a member of the company Multiservicios Modernos, through which money from contracts obtained by Brands was transferred, which was then sent to the company Service Solutions, of which the former deputy owns 80%.

The former director also made multiple transfers to his family circle for amounts close to $190,000 for credit card payments, travel, car purchases, and other expenses.

In its indictment, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime estimates that the money handled by Brands and his family was the product of unjustified funds that he obtained when he was director of Pandeportes.

A report from the Comptroller General of the Republic, covering the years 2021-2024, indicates that Brands could not justify the origin of $649,292 after leaving office, and that this wealth was obtained illegally.

However, the prosecution claims that Brands’ unjust enrichment actually amounts to $3 million 087 thousand.

In addition to the $649,292 detected by the comptroller’s office, he received a transfer of $554,582 through Multiservicios Modernos SA and another transfer of $1,883,000 made in favor of Services Solutions, whose final recipient was the former congressman.

According to the prosecution, these funds were moved through the companies Multiservicios Modernos and Servicios Solutions, with the collaboration of Rodríguez, Brands’ alleged “front man”.

Rodríguez was the executive director of the New Generation Movement Foundation, founded by Brands in 2000, when he promoted sports leagues in communities.

On Thursday, December 10, in separate hearings, Brands was charged with the crimes of unjust enrichment and money laundering.

Meanwhile, his sons Aldair Brands, Aimar Brands Cedeño and Héctor Alberto Brands Orozco are charged with money laundering and were granted house arrest.

The same measure was applied to his ex-wife, Ileana Cedeño, and his current partner, Yasbel Núñez.

Meanwhile, the precautionary measure of periodic reporting was ordered for the sister of the former director of Pandeportes, Edy Luz Anayansi Brands, and for Yoani Vega, wife of Elvis Rodríguez.

Brands’ defense, which did not oppose the charges, argued that it can prove the legitimate origin of its client’s assets and that the prosecution did not allow them access to the file in a timely manner to mount an effective defense.