Although since last May the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO exclusively revealed the seizure record from the Prosecutor’s Office mentioning 11 companies, warehouses, premises, and several properties linked to the corporate network of the women’s clothing brand Lili Pink – which allegedly laundered around 763 billion pesos – the prosecuting entity has just extended the precautionary measures to another key company in the network, previously unknown.
It is one of the main suppliers of merchandise to Lili Pink, whose million-dollar imports are already being tracked and which, according to the file, would have connections in China and Panama.
The debt
It is Elephant Import & Export SAS, a company that, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, was one of the main suppliers for both Lili Pink and Joy.
According to the file held by the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO, the company would have been used to support the import and the supply of merchandise, despite not having real economic capacity.
In fact, the prosecuting entity claims that the company’s apparent financial strength was based on a loan of 64 billion pesos granted by another company that also would not have the economic capacity to carry out an operation of that magnitude.
It is even said that Fast Moda SAS, the company operating Lili Pink, linked to the Colombian-Panamanian Max Marvin Abadi Harari and his son David – who left the country before the process against the corporate network began – recorded a debt in favor of Elephant Import & Export SAS for 126 billion pesos.
Colombian labels
But after extending the precautionary measures against this company, procedures were included in which 12 containers with merchandise of Chinese origin, entered into the country from Panama, were identified.
And it was verified that another 31 containers had been previously seized by the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN).
What caught the investigators’ attention was that the merchandise already had labels made for the Colombian market, even though it corresponded to products of Chinese origin.
The Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO had access to the company’s files, which was registered in July 2022 in Barranquilla, and whose headquarters is in the municipality of Galapa (Atlántico).
The owner and the seizure
The company lists as main activities wholesale trade of clothing, textile products, manufactured products for domestic use, and electronic and telecommunications parts and pieces.
According to the shareholders’ meeting minutes, the sole owner is Luis Carlos Diaz Plata, who is also the company’s manager, which registered a capital of 5 billion pesos.
This newspaper also learned of the precautionary measures resolution dated August 4, issued by the 30th Domain Extinction Prosecutor’s Office, which requests the immediate registration of precautionary measures of suspension of dispositive power, seizure, custody over 100 percent of the shareholding composition, and the taking of the company’s assets and business premises.
This company joins the corporate network against Lili Pink, in which, as this newspaper had revealed, companies appear in Panama such as Nepal Blue SA, Bestsea Blue SA, Lili Brand Inc, Mail Blue SA, and even Greenland Point Foundation.
On July 21, eight of the businessmen and representatives of the companies, including the Abadis, did not accept the charges for money laundering, conspiracy to commit crimes for smuggling purposes, illicit enrichment, smuggling, and aiding smuggling filed by the Prosecutor’s Office.
(Consult all articles from the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO here)
However, the investigation continues, now focusing on the operations of the supplier companies.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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