A Swiss coffee trader, reportedly Ulrich Gurtner Kappler, is currently under house arrest in Guatemala facing charges of tax fraud, as reported by Swiss and Guatemalan media. Although neither Swiss nor Guatemalan authorities have officially named the individual, the Guatemalan news agency Prensa Libre identified the 68-year-old Kappler in June. The Swiss department of foreign affairs (FDFA) has confirmed that they are in regular contact with Guatemalan authorities and are providing consular protection to the Swiss citizen involved, although they declined to comment further due to privacy concerns. Kappler, who is the general director of the Guatemalan coffee cooperatives association Fedecocagua, was also charged with money laundering in May 2023. A former Swiss ambassador to Guatemala has suggested that the charges might be politically motivated and fabricated. Fedecocagua has not responded to requests for comment, and the situation continues to develop as authorities in both countries investigate further.
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