MANAGUA.- The regime of Daniel Ortega filed charges against three American evangelical missionaries and 13 Nicaraguan collaborators, accusing them of being part of a “criminal structure” involved in money laundering in Nicaragua.
The accused, identified as Jacob Britton Hancock, John Britton Hancock y Cassandra Mae Hancockare representatives of the American church Mountain Gatewhich was closed by the Ortega regime last month after the arrest of 11 of its missionaries in the Central American country.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office statement, the accusation also includes 11 Nicaraguan missionaries, as well as the legal representative and the financial manager of the church branch established in Nicaragua, who were listed as representatives in real estate transactions.
The government entity claimed to have carried out “a detailed investigation” of the illegal activities allegedly carried out by the members of Puerta de la Montaña, before filing charges against the accused.
The 13 Nicaraguan missionaries face similar charges of “money, property and asset laundering.” Although the Public Ministry did not specify whether the Americans are outside the country, it was announced that “judicial arrest warrants” were issued for the accused who are fugitives.
Accusation of “money laundering”
Last December, Puerta de la Montaña denied accusations of money laundering along with another evangelical group called Shaking the Nations, contradicting the version of the Nicaraguan police. The church claimed to have documentation that supports the proper management of all financing.
According to the Nicaraguan police, the defendants, along with American Bruce Wagner, owner of an aviation company and an evangelical group, were part of a “money laundering network” that used these two Christian organizations as a front to move large sums of money.
Wagner, whose whereabouts are unknown, allegedly transferred capital to Nicaragua to obtain money, property and conduct business. So far, neither Wagner nor his organization have responded to the allegations.
According to the official version, Puerta de la Montaña and Shaking Nations operated in rural areas of Nicaragua, supported by peasants whom they later designated “evangelical pastors.” The police maintain that their supposed purpose of helping the people by bringing the word of God was a facade, while they were dedicated to acquiring property and conducting business.
Ortega repression
In a report released in December, the Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective organization revealed that the Ortega regime has closed or dissolved 342 religious organizations, including 256 evangelical associations, as part of the more than 3,500 NGOs closed in the last two years.
Last weekend, Catholic bishop Rolando Álvarez was released after 500 days of detention and exiled to the Vatican along with 18 other religious. This occurred in the midst of the serious political and social crisis that Nicaragua has been experiencing since the April 2018 protests, with hundreds of deaths, injuries and thousands of detainees and exiles, according to humanitarian organizations.
Source: With information from AP
