US grand jury indicts Napoles, family in $20-M money laundering scheme
A UNITED STATES grand jury indicted the alleged mastermind behind the misuse of $20 million in Philippine public funds for money laundering through a multi-year bribery and fraud scheme, according to a statement from the US justice department.
Charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering, and international money laundering were filed against Janet Lim-Napoles, her children Jo Christine, James Christopher, Jeane Catherine, and brother Reynald Luy Lim, and wife Ana Marie Lim, it said.
The US justice department said the jury found basis to indict the defendants who fraudulently converted money from Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) granted to members of the Philippine Congress and other government funds designed to benefit poor Filipinos.
Janet Lim-Napoles FILE PHOTO
The fund was paid to dozens of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) controlled by Napoles pursuant to contracts that required the money to be spent on development projects.
“The projects were not performed. Instead, the money was diverted to kickbacks for the legislators and other government officials, and for the personal use of the Napoles family,” according to the statement.
The charges that were filed was based on the events from September 2012 and continuing through August 2014 involving the PDAF transactions. JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA
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