Panamanian preacher arrested in Spain

Panamanian preacher, Rivelino Rey Acosta, was arrested in Spain for committing alleged fraud. Acosta, 41, and president of the non-governmental organization Internacional Luz said everything was a "misunderstanding”, denying the charges against him in an interview with the newspaper El Mundo.

A story was published in Spanish media August 16 stating that Acosta allegedly deceived immigrants, promising them legal status. The preacher admitted that he affixed false visas with the NGO seal in the passports, of two Salvadorans workers. The men who worked with him for a couple of hours a month were told that they were in "legal" standing and could apply for a job and a residence permit.

 The National Police reported that Acosta was charging between 250 and 300 euros for the seal in the passport and promising false status. So far the Spanish authorities have not revealed the number of immigrants affected but did enable a telephone line to receive the complaints.