Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The United States Department of Justice on Tuesday (July 14) said it was seeking to seize approximately $12.5 million worth of U.S properties belonging to alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
According to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website, a civil forfeiture complaint had been filed by state prosecutors to recover Napoles’ assets allegedly derived from bribery and kickback schemes in the Philippines.
It said Napoles purchased properties and other assets in the States for herself and her family members, including a condominium at the Ritz and a Porsche “in an effort to disguise and enjoy her ill-gotten gains.”
“The Justice Department will not allow the United States to become a playground for the corrupt or a place to hide and invest stolen riches,” said Assistant Atty. Gen. Leslie Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Napoles’ lawyer Stephen David, on the other hand, denied that his client owned all of the said properties.
David said Napoles only owned a condominium and it was not worth over $12 million.
He added that the Philippines’ justice department had asked the U.S. for assistance in recovering Napoles’ assets last year and those were already frozen.
He said Napoles had a legal team in the U.S. that will handle the case.
Napoles faces charges of graft and plunder in connection with a multi-billion pesos pork scam case, along with three senators — Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. – and several other government officials who allegedly colluded with her to transfer billions of pesos from their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to bogus non-government organizations.
She is also serving a sentence for reclusion perpetua in connection with a serious illegal detention case filed by pork scam whistleblower Benhur Luy.
