Ismael Gerli, director of a Panamanian law firm Gerli&Co, has been charged with embezzlement which allowed him to take over properties belonging to one of his clients.

Apparently, Gerli forged a number of documents that allowed him to take possession of 100% of shares belonging to the company of Vladimir Kokorev, a Spanish citizen of Russian origins. Several years ago, Mr. Kokorev retained the services of Ismael Gerli for the acquisition of an apartment where he resided in Panama, and which the Panamanian lawyer recently registered under his own name using a series of forged documents.

According to the criminal charges filed by attorneys Leonardo Paul and Roberto Montero, the damages caused by Gerli’s illegal actions are in excess of 800 thousand USD, which in accordance with Panamanian laws governing embezzlement and forgery, constitutes a particularly severe criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

This is not the first time that Ismael Gerli is facing criminal prosecution. The lawyer, well-known in Panama for offering his services for off-shore companies and fiduciary duties, has been already charged in the case against Arnoldo Aleman, former president of Nicaragua, currently serving a 20 year sentence. Ismael Gerli was retained by the ex-president to create a number of companies in Panama, which were allegedly used to launder money with origins in corrupt practices in Nicaragua. American Telegraph