Senator Calisto charged with tax fraud: damage exceeds $103 million
The Coyhaique Public Prosecutor's Office charged Senator Miguel Ángel Calisto and seven other people with repeated tax fraud. The damage to the State exceeds 100 million pesos.
Coyhaique Public Prosecutor's Office charges Senator Calisto with repeated tax fraud
The Coyhaique Local Prosecutor's Office closed its investigation and filed charges against eight defendants for tax fraud and repeated subsidy fraud offences. According to latercera.com, among those charged is Senator and former Deputy Miguel Ángel Calisto.
Calisto is an independent and is part of the Evópoli parliamentary group in the Senate. His vote is considered key to the balance between government and opposition forces in the Upper House.
Fraudulent scheme between 2018 and 2022
The Public Prosecutor's Office argues that between 2018 and 2022, the then-Deputy Calisto agreed with Roland Cárcamo and Carla Graf to obtain resources through a fraudulent mechanism at the expense of the National Congress. The fiscal damage amounts to $103,664,697, exceeding 100 million pesos in total.
The investigation had the support of specialist personnel from the Criminal Investigation Police (PDI).
Consultancies that were never carried out
The Prosecutor's Office argues that all contracts were entered into between the Chamber of Deputies and Carla Graf, by instructions from the then-Deputy Calisto, and that they constituted merely a fraudulent mechanism to extract money from the Chilean Treasury.
The proceedings carried out during the reopening of the investigation—at the request of the senator's defence—reinforced the prosecution's thesis. None of the witnesses whose statements were taken, among them the senator's chief of staff, his journalist, his secretary and his driver at Congress, could explain how, when or in what manner the alleged parliamentary advisory services of Carla Graf would have been provided. They were completely unaware of the work that Graf would have carried out on behalf of the parliamentary member, stated the Public Prosecutor's Office on its website.
Second charge following case reopening
In June, the Public Prosecutor's Office had already filed an initial charge. However, the Guarantee Court of Coyhaique ordered the reopening of the investigation at the request of the defence, for the carrying out of specific and determined proceedings: taking of statements and performance of expert reports. All of these proceedings were completed by the Prosecutor's Office within the deadline set by the court.
Request for removal of parliamentary immunity before the Court of Appeals of Puerto Montt
In parallel to the filing of charges, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested the removal of the senator's parliamentary immunity before the Court of Appeals of Puerto Montt, in accordance with article 416, section 1° of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Prosecutor's Office asks that said court declare that there is sufficient grounds to admit the counts of the charge, and that the scheduling of the oral trial preparation hearing be suspended until the Court of Appeals resolves the request for removal of parliamentary immunity.
Source: Google News CL — Crime