Obstruction of Justice and Intimidation

Criminal Complaint No. 202200053278 centers on allegations that Villamorey, S.A., its legal representative Ramiro López Nimatúj, and its law firm Galindo, Arias y López carried out an unlawful scheme to intimidate the judge of the Fourth Civil Court during a pending judicial-accounting case brought by Lisa, S.A. (Exp. 14606-21). According to the complaints filed by Julio Rafael Martínez Vásquez and Lisa, S.A., Villamorey sought to derail the civil process—and reverse the embargo ordered against it—by filing a baseless criminal complaint against Judge Solange Le Ferrec Malek de Booker on September 22, 2022, shortly after the issuance of Embargo Order No. 1234/14606-21.

A key development came to light when prosecutors formally dismissed Villamorey’s complaint against the judge through Resolution No. 546-23, dated April 23, 2023 . That ruling determined that the allegations of “abuse of authority” were unfounded and that the judge had acted within the scope of her procedural powers. The prosecutor found no evidence of criminal conduct; rather, the judge’s actions—including her later issuance of Order No. 1473/14606-21 to correct a procedural oversight—were consistent with Article 1129 of the Judicial Code and did not constitute abuse, arbitrariness, or misconduct. This official dismissal is central to the current case: it shows that Villamorey initiated a criminal proceeding against the judge without legal basis and that its accusations were unsupported and legally defective.

In light of that dismissal, the complaints submitted in File No. 202200053278 argue that Villamorey knowingly filed a false accusation (Penal Code Article 384) and engaged in intimidation of a public official (Article 360). The timing—filing the complaint on September 22 and the judge reversing the embargo on September 23—raises, in the complainants’ view, serious concerns of coercion and pressure designed to influence the civil court’s handling of the ongoing accounting case. Lisa further alleges that these acts form part of a broader pattern of obstructive conduct aimed at avoiding transparency and delaying judicial scrutiny over financial matters material to its shareholder rights.

On May 29, 2023, the Anticorruption Prosecutor issued Resolution No. 47, formally admitting Lisa’s own criminal complaint and authorizing a full investigation. The resolution confirms that the complaint meets all legal requirements under Article 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code and acknowledges the supporting evidence—including the now-dismissed Criminal Complaint No. 202200067006—as relevant to determining whether Villamorey attempted to manipulate judicial proceedings through intimidation. Lisa estimates damages of approximately $44.5 million, including legal costs, procedural delays, and the broader impact of interference with judicial functions. The case now proceeds under active prosecutorial review to determine criminal responsibility.