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Fernando Alvarado still has accounts to settle for illicit enrichment, embezzlement and other crimes
Posted On 21 Oct 2020
One of the executing arms and with the greatest influence within the Citizen Revolution, who was in command of the management of the media, advertising and the propaganda apparatus , was former Secretary of State Fernando Alvarado , who was part of the close circle of former President Rafael Correa .
Fernando Alvarado still has accounts to settle for illicit enrichment, embezzlement and other crimes
A few days ago he was declared innocent in the Secom case , for which he fled the country in October 2018. The Prosecutor’s Office will appeal that decision.
According to information provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, Alvarado Espinel still has pending accounts in court. There are 6 processes in the preliminary investigation phase that do not appear in the SAJTE consultation system , as they are reserved.
Three for the crime of embezzlement . Two of those complaints were filed by the son of former President Abdalá Bucaram , Jaime Abdalá Bucaram Pulley and César Monge . The other open case was derived from a report from the State Comptroller General’s Office .
He also faces other processes for influence peddling , abuse of public money and illicit enrichment .
The Public Ministry opened the investigation for illicit enrichment in 2018. The Financial Analysis Unit (UAFE) reported and alerted the Prosecutor’s Office about unusual and unjustified operations between 2010 and 2017 about the brothers Fernando and Vinicio Alvarado , former collaborators, relatives (wife, brother-in-law, mother and nephews) and 8 companies related to them.
The financial information collected by the UAFE was crossed with other control institutions such as the Internal Revenue Service , the National Directorate of Public Data Registry and the Superintendency of Companies, which compiled it in 60 sheets. The investigation revealed that all received 7.1 million dollars from institutions and state companies. Another edge revealed that 161 million were moved between the accounts of the Alvarado brothers , their wives and the companies Creacional , Arkae SA . and others. These firms registered growth of up to double what they usually received between 2013 and 2017.
Creacional , by Vinicio Alvarado , was the beneficiary of payments made by the seized channels and the Public Media company. For example, EcuadorTV paid more than 258 thousand dollars, Tc Television 146 thousand dollars and Gamavisión 41 thousand dollars.
In 2018, by order of the Comptroller’s Office , the Government canceled more than six million dollars for the 119 Saturday broadcast of former President Rafael Correa between January 1, 2015 and October 31, 2017, resources that had to enter the television station GamaTV .
One of the characters mentioned in the examination was the former delegate of the Presidency to the Media Management Unit (Ugemed), Fernando Alvarado .
13 reports from the State Comptroller General with criminal responsibility against Fernando Alvarado Espinel
Of the 13 reports in which the Comptroller’s Office has determined indications of criminal responsibility, El Telégrafo was able to access, 9 correspond to the special examinations that were carried out on the seized channel Gamavisión or GamaTV that led to bankruptcy and were referred to the Prosecutor’s Office to initiate investigations.
Studies that yielded interesting data on how the administration of the television station, which was owned by the Isaías brothers and which was seized in 2008, was carried out.
The Comptroller’s Office carried out an examination of the administration and the contracts and agreements related to the rights of transmission and retransmission of soccer matches during the period between January 1, 2010 and April 30, 2016. These were some of the conclusions:
1. Without justification USD 278 295.07, the control body could not determine the fulfillment of contracts, nor the justification for signing them, the objectives, the activities to be accomplished, fines , administration and products related to advisory services, consulting programs , image , financial valuation , inventory, valuation and coding of fixed assets , review of financial statements, financial control, among others.
2. Payments: The Comptroller’s Office tracked disbursements for USD 870,660 to the Barcelona Sporting Club without a contractual commitment with the television channel. Neither were efforts made to recover that amount.
3. Payment of “over” commissions to advertising agencies without considering aspects such as the invoicing base, percentages established in the incentive tables, among other parameters. A difference of USD 4.990.902.61 was determined.
4. USD 59,815 in payments made to the general manager of GamaTV without legal support, which were paid as duplicate remunerations.
5. USD 1,093 293.26 amount that was destined for the payment of commissions for sale without having a defined policy. According to the Comptroller, there were no documents that justify the calculation of these.
6. USD 102,205.85 that GamaTV paid to personnel who did not work in the channel, as advisers who rendered their professional services in the Technical Secretariat of the Media Trust.
7. Professional honoraria payments were made without the contracts being reported or reviewed, with disbursements , for USD 412,922.33.
8. USD 198 586.24 distributed in rental contracts for apartments and houses for directors , without the employment contracts establishing the obligation to grant this benefit.
In another examination of GamaTV’s financial and administrative operations , between January 1, 2015 and October 31, 2017, it determined that Agencias CREACIONAL SA and Percrea Cía. Ltda. Contracted advertising spaces in the seized channel, for which they received USD 236,630.28 for over commissions, without their advertising contracts exceeding USD 2 million, the minimum amount established in 2015 and 2016 to access this benefit.
Ecuadorian Television Network CA channel 10
The Comptroller’s Office carried out special examinations to the administration, expenses and contracts, acquisition of goods, provision of services, consultancies, remunerations and commissions to TC Televisión employees, in the period between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017.
These are some of the conclusions of the process:
1. The television station paid USD 3 922.00 for expenses that were not related to work activities within the institution, corresponding to food, lodging, and air tickets for Fernando Alvarado , who was a delegate of the President of the Republic and family
2. TC commercially linked the channel and allowed the payment of commissions and bonuses for advertising services to several companies despite having first and second degree kinship with Fernando Alvarado , who served as a member of the shareholders’ meeting of the channel as president.
The Comptroller’s Office audited the sworn wealth declarations submitted by Fernando Alvarado during the period in which he worked in various public service positions between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2017 such as the Ministry of Tourism , the Media Management Unit , the National Secretariat of Communication , the Cuenca Airport Corporation and the Public Media Company . These were some of the auditors’ findings:
– The origin of USD 125,947.46 deposited in three Alvarado bank accounts is not detailed .
– A difference of USD 24,681.12 from the income received on the credit cards of Alvarado and his wife
– Transfer from Ecuador abroad of USD 3,289.01 from Alvarado’s spouse . (I)
