A new police investigation into financial activities within a municipality has begun in Lamego, following an anonymous tip-off. As with other investigations ongoing throughout the country, at issue is financing by state-bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
According to national tabloid Correio da Manhã, this latest situation revolves around the construction of a ‘multi-use pavilion” by Lamego borough council.
A number of documents have been seized in police searches, but for now there are no “arguidos” (official defendants), say the paper.
Detectives are tracking “financial movements” between the council and municipal companies Lamego Renova and Lamego Convida, it explains.
Funds involved stretch to €18 million.
CGD has been cited in numerous investigations this year – not least Operation Marquês, in which prosecutors are looking at the loan to Vale do Lobo resort of €194 million.
Elsewhere, CGD is in the spotlight for having loaned companies owned by the defunct Grupo Espírito Santo “around €300 million” (Público, July 2014).
As this latest story was aired on national television, Lamego’s mayor Francisco Lopes said that in his opinion the anonymous tip off had come from someone “who has political motives”.
