Thursday, 18 November 2010 14:51

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/12992-colombian-denies-accusations-of-money-laundering.html

Oscar Fernando Cuevas, a Colombian wanted for extradition to Spain on accusations of money laundering, denies being guilty of the crime, reports W Radio.

Cuevas said that he asked for money from a Spanish bank because he was broke, which "is not a crime." He also accused his brother-in-law Juan Pablo Medrano of attempting to kidnap him to make off with the family's money, but Medrano denies these accusations.

Cuevas was arrested in Colombia on November 5 upon the request of Spain. He allegedly fled Colombian authorities and took refuge in the European country in 2001, where he requested political asylum after claiming to be a victim of political persecution. He returned to Bogota in 2004, supposedly after Spanish authorities became suspicious of his activity, and was arrested then by Colombian police.

He has also spent time in jail in the United States, after he was arrested in 1986 in Switzerland, extradited to the U.S. and tried for several cocaine and money-related charges. Evidence in the trial showed he operated a money laundering service for cocaine distributors and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Cuevas said he would go to Spain to prove his innocence.