HAVANA, Cuba.- The former Grand Master of Cuban Freemasonry, Mario Alberto Urquia Carreno, He was arrested this Tuesday, September 10, after being accused, along with the former Grand Treasurer, Airam Cervera Reigosa, of defrauding the Grand Lodge of Cuba, according to the current Grand Master, Mayker Filema Duarte, through Special Circular No. 128, to which CubaNet had access.
“Today we were informed by the PNR Unit that they are responding to the complaint made against VH Airam and VH Mario Alberto Urquia Carreno that both were summoned for this day, the second being deprived of liberty, while the first was not given the same measure because he claims to return the embezzled amount of money within the time period established by the Prosecutor’s Office, and that if not, he will be detained pending trial,” states the statement signed on September 10.
The Circular does not specify the police station where it is located. arrested Urquía nor the time established by the Prosecutor’s Office for Cervera Reigosa to replace the money allegedly embezzled.
On September 6, Filema Duarte informed the Masonic community about the missing amount of at least 2,116,555 pesos, equivalent to 17,637 dollars (at the rate of 1×120, official exchange rate), stolen between January and August 2024.
According to this Grand Master, he himself ordered a financial audit to be carried out after learning that Airam Cervera had made transactions to his personal account from the current accounts of the Grand Lodge of Cuba.
The investigation revealed that the former Grand Treasurer, in collusion with the former Grand Master, falsified bank statements “to cover up the embezzlement committed.”
Not only did they illegally steal 2,116,555 pesos, but they also “directed the Accountant Gertrudis Mena to record as a loss the theft of 2,700 USD. “made” by both, “settling it at its equivalent in CUP at the official exchange rate of 1×120”.
To this amount are added the 19 thousand dollars which were supposedly stolen earlier this year from the office of Mario Urquía, then Grand Master.
Despite having reported it on April 1st at the Picota police station, He promised to return the money within three months. If he did not do so, he would be placed at the disposal of the Prosecutor’s Office for prosecution. However, neither Urquía returned the money nor did the Prosecutor’s Office prosecute him.
At the moment, both Urquía Carreño and Cervera Reigosa are prohibited from leaving the country.
The Grand Lodge filed a complaint with the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) after learning of the intentions of both men to allegedly travel abroad with money from the Institution’s treasury.
