USA (Transatlantic Today) – Wilder Emilio Sánchez, alias ‘Gato Farfán,’ a drug trafficker, has filed a request in the United States to have his relatives in Ecuador send him money. This is described in a series of documents given by his defence between April and May 2024 before the US Office of Foreign Affairs Asset Control (OFAC). According to the papers presented, his defence claims that ‘Gato Farfán’ has been unable to obtain resources since he does not have family in the United States.
Request for Financial Assistance
Sánchez has requested to allow his family in Ecuador send him money for personal expenses while in prison. This request was outlined in documents submitted by his defense team to the Office of Foreign Affairs Asset Control (OFAC) between April and May 2024. The defense argues that Sánchez, lacking family in the U.S., cannot access necessary resources due to OFAC sanctions blocking all his properties and interests within U.S. territory.
Sanctions and Financial Restrictions
According to Primicias, the OFAC, under the U.S. Treasury Department, has imposed sanctions on Sánchez, blocking his access to any assets and preventing his family in Ecuador from sending him money. According to Sánchez’s defense, this financial blockade has left him without funds to purchase basic items and communicate with his relatives, which is critical for preparing his legal case.
Denial of Funds and Legal Challenges
The legal department of TKC Holdings, which manages the commissary accounts at the detention center, interpreted OFAC regulations as prohibiting fund deposits from anyone other than spouses or household members residing in the U.S. Consequently, Sánchez’s relatives in Ecuador were denied permission to transfer money to his account. TKC cited the need for a specific license from OFAC, though OFAC clarified that such a license was not necessary and does not issue specific licenses for these transactions. However, TKC’s license restricts it to domestic transactions, further complicating the issue
Proposed Solution
In response, Sánchez’s lawyer, Matthew J. Lombard, proposed that Sánchez’s wife deposit funds into a trust account, which would then transfer the money to Sánchez’s commissary account. A decision regarding this arrangement is expected by June 3, 2024.
Background and Legal Proceedings
Since January 2019, US authorities have been monitoring ‘Gato Farfán’ and have charged him and eight people with conspiracy to distribute banned narcotics in the Southern District of California. This prompted an international response, ending in Sánchez’s arrest by Colombian, Ecuadorian, and American police on February 9, 2023, in Pasto, near the Colombian-Ecuadorian border.
Previous Arrest and Release
Sánchez had previously been arrested by Ecuadorian police in 2013, receiving a four-year prison sentence. However, he was released in 2016 due to a controversial judicial decision, after which he evaded capture until his recent extradition to the United States.