The Criminal Chamber of the National Court (AN) has sentenced the former ambassador of Spain in Caracas Raúl Morodo to 10 months in prison for a crime against the Public Treasury and 2 years in prison for his son Alejo, after both recognized each other. as authors in the trial held last October at the National Court.
In the ruling, collected by Europa Press, The magistrates of the Third Section acquit Alejo Morodo’s daughter-in-law, Ana Catarina Varandas, who ruled out going to trial. an agreement in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and agreed to hold the oral hearing against him.
The former ambassador and his son, however, reached an agreement before the trial began. “Do you plead guilty to these crimes and agree to serve the indicated sentences?” the president of the court, Judge Alfonso Guevara, asked the diplomat. “Yes, Mr. President,” Morodo replied.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office initially requested 3 years and 6 months in prison for Raúl Morodo and 8 years and 6 months in prison for both his son Alejo and his wife, but he finally reduced his request to 2 years and 10 months, respectively.
In the ruling, the Chamber explains that “the recognition by the accused Alejo and Raúl Morodo of the reality of the facts alleged by the State Attorney’s Office, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the popular accusation regarding the tax fraud committed with respect to the annual years of 2013 and 2014 allows us to dispense with the analysis of the evidence carried out with respect to those facts”.
The magistrates indicate that there is no need to delve into the legal classification and the penalty that should be imposed, “both accused having agreed and his defense with that requested for those accusations”.
Ambassador’s daughter-in-law acquitted
Regarding Varandas, the court maintains that the documents exhibited at the trial show “unequivocal indications” that the alleged tax fraud of which the Prosecutor’s Office accused Varandas were nothing more than “actions carried out” by her father towards her and “therefore” subject to inheritance and stock tax.
Now, the magistrates explain that this “fraud has not been the subject of the accusation and, furthermore, it does not would exceed 120,000 euros in view of the opinion presented at the last minute by the expert, which estimates the amount of the stock tax at 77,416.08 euros.” “The accused Ana Catarina Varandas de Loureiro must, therefore, be acquitted of the crimes committed against her. charges,” the ruling states.
In his statement at the trial, Varandas gave details about the money he received from his parents, and that they were a series of “financial aid” after she decided to take a “break” in her professional career to “take care” of her daughters.
“They have not told me at any time that this financial aid had to go to an income tax return. It was all informal“he assured.
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