Ivan Ayuso Pleads Guity to Theft and Money Laundering

Ivan Ayuso, former Senior Accounts Officer for the National Sports Council, is spending his first night on remand, awaiting sentencing for the serious offenses of theft and money laundering, involving over one million dollars from the Government of Belize.  Ayuso, who had been out on a three-hundred-thousand-dollar bail granted by the lower court in 2021, now faces sentencing in the High Court of Justice Nigel Pilgrim.  The judge will hear mitigation pleas from character witnesses vouching for Ayuso’s good character, before delivering an appropriate sentence. Ayuso is already aware that he will receive a prison sentence of no more than five years. However, he was originally facing a potential maximum of ten years for each count if he had risked going to trial and been convicted. His remand underscores the gravity of the charges against him.  Today’s proceedings included a plea agreement between Ayuso and the Crown, represented by D.P.P. Cheryl Lynn-Vidal, with Ayuso’s defense led by Attorney Darrell Bradley, who urged the court to consider several factors on behalf of his client. Bradley highlighted that Ayuso entered a guilty plea, thereby saving the court the time and resources of a lengthy trial. Ayuso has acknowledged responsibility for his actions, expressed deep remorse, and thrown himself at the mercy of the court. Bradley emphasized that Ayuso is a family man with a spotless record prior to these allegations, having no previous convictions for theft and no prior encounters with the criminal justice system. Additionally, Ayuso has been out on bail without committing any further offenses, prompting Bradley to request a moderate sentence that would not unduly impact Ayuso’s family.