Colombia arrests healthcare executive over $105B heist

[Judi Lynn]

by Adriaan Alsema March 9, 2018

Colombia arrests healthcare executive over ‘$105B’ heist
by Adriaan Alsema March 9, 2018



Prosecutors arrested the former director of a private healthcare intermediary over the alleged embezzlement of more than $105 billion, equivalent to 5% of Colombia’s GDP,  in health funds.

The arrest of former Saludcoop director Carlos Palacino came after years of criminal investigations into the biggest of many healthcare-related heists that have bled Colombia’s healthcare system dry.

According to health authorities, Palacino and his fellow executives misspent $105 billion, or 5% of the country’s GDP, between 2000 and 2004.

. . .

The consequences of the corruption at SaluudCoop and other private contractors have devastated Colombia’s universal healthcare system.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombia-arrests-healthcare-executive-over-105b-heist/

[bahrbearian]

1. Rick Scott's gone Multi-national?

[sandensea]

2. 5%? More like 34%.

Colombia's GDP was $307 billion in 2017.

This is the equivalent to a $6.6 trillion heist here in the U.S. - in other words at least as much as Bush's war profiteering and other defense-related fraud.

Thanks for posting these troubling news, Judi. This should be on LBN, I think.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Wow. It sounded horrendous before seeing your reference to the actual equivalence. Horrific.

When people think their ruling party has complete power, they really go for it, don't they?

It's appropriate to recall how dumbfounded we were when the Bush criminality finally burst into bloom. Had never seen anything like that, never would have dreamed it could happen.

What a trip!