Scandal is threatening to shake up the UDP tonight, after court documents coming out of the US tell the story of an Armenian man named Lev Aslan Dermen. In Belize he was known as Levon - a big player with deep pockets. He was known as an associate of certain UDP ministers in the early to mid 2010's.
But, right now, he's in jail in the US state of Utah, accused of spearheading a large biofuel tax fraud scheme. He is described in court documents from the "suspected crime figure" and "the leader of an Armenian organized crime group".
And, basically what he did is bribe officials high and low, in the US, and also allegedly in Belize. Court documents have stated that his former partner, Jacob Kingston, testified that between 2012 and 2016, he sent $25,000 US dollars monthly to an un-named Belize government minister. Kingston said he personally oversaw the payments in June 2013, and February 2014. The claims are allegedly backed up by text messages between Kingston and the government minister.
And it doesn't end there. Another government official was allegedly also bribed and that payment was sent by electronic transfer.
The names are expected to be released when the case goes to trial after this year.
Email
Print