Colombia Seeks Arrests In Pyramid Scheme

Scheme Has Caused Panic Over Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Lost Investments

(AP)  Colombia on Wednesday sought the arrest of the leaders of a company involved in a pyramid scheme that has caused a national panic over hundreds of millions of dollars in lost investments.

Attorney General Mario Iguaran said he would ask Panama to extradite David Murcia Guzman, the DMG company's principal shareholder. He said evidence would show that DMG was involved in money-laundering, and said none of the company's leaders were capable of running a financial services company.

Murcia was among seven people whose arrests are being sought, said Gladys Sanchez, a prosecutor who leads an anti-money laundering unit. Two were captured Wednesday morning in Bogota and face charges including money laundering and bribery. Five, including Murcia, have yet to be detained.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has said there is evidence drug traffickers were linked to the company.

The government seized DMG as well as another company apparently involved in pyramid schemes, Proyecciones DRFE, whose collapse led to looting, rioting and two deaths.

Sanchez said Wednesday that some of the others ordered detained are part of Murcia's family circle - including his wife, mother and brother-in-law.

She told The Associated Press that part of the investigation is related to $3.2 million in Colombian currency that police confiscated from a woman named Nidia Rosero in August 2007. Rosero told authorities at the time that the money belonged to Murcia and his DMG company.

DMG's lawyer, Abelardo de la Espriella, insisted that the company has followed the law, and said Murcia is ready to return to Colombia if required.

Venezuela's consumer protection agency, meanwhile, closed a DMG office in Caracas on Tuesday. Agency chief Eduardo Saman told state television the company had been operating illegally.