Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office said that the U.S. will be investigating the assets of several members of the MIRA political party, national media reported on Tuesday.
The prosecuting body indicated that members of the party could face charges of money laundering and unjust enrichment.
Alexandra Moreno Piraquive, daughter of Christian Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International pastor and party spiritual leader Maria Luisa Piraquive are among the members suspected of wrongdoing.
This is not the first time authorities are investigating the party. A case was opened in 2008, but was closed because of lack of evidence.
A second case was opened in 2010, after authorities discovered inconsistencies between 2003 and 2006 in financial reports submitted by a member of the party.
The case of unjust enrichment were opened after the members were not able to provide the required financial documentation.
It is suspected that the party used Christian Church of God Ministry Jesus Christ to launder money, as the church is not obligated to report their finances.
MIRA and the church made headlines in the past weeks after a video surfaced in which Maria Luisa Piraquive argued that handicapped individuals should not be allowed to hold positions in the church ministry.
Rather than explain the incident, party leader Shamir Bedoya supported Piraquive’s comments, calling the backlash against his party part of a “politically influenced” “conspiracy,” which also includes the investigations.
Sources
Según Fiscalía, EE. UU. investiga al MIRA por propiedades en ese país (El Pais)
EE.UU. abrió investigación en contra del partido MIRA (W Radio)