Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, long identified as the mastermind behind the ₱10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, has been found guilty of money laundering.
On Wednesday, October 1, the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 158 convicted Napoles on 13 counts of money laundering linked to the 2013 pork barrel scandal. The charges were pursued jointly by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The court sentenced her to a prison term ranging from seven to 14 years for each count and imposed a fine of ₱94.15 million. The ruling clarified, however, that the judgment remains subject to appeal.
This marks Napoles’ second money laundering conviction tied to the pork barrel scam, following a 2024 ruling by the Manila RTC Branch 24 that also found her guilty.
In its latest decision, the court detailed how Napoles devised a scheme to set up fake non-government organizations (NGOs) that served as conduits for pork barrel funds. These NGOs supposedly implemented projects that turned out to be fictitious.
The ruling stated: “By making it appear that the funds originated from legitimate sources, Napoles concealed its criminal origin—an act that fully satisfied the elements of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended.”
The conviction comes at a time when the AMLC has intensified its crackdown on financial crimes, particularly as controversies surrounding alleged irregularities in flood control projects continue to unfold.