By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica – The wheels of justice are turning agonizingly slow for hundreds of victims of alleged large-scale financial fraud in Costa Rica. Two of the country’s most prominent cases, involving the defunct brokerage firm Aldesa and the plastics company Yanber, have encountered significant procedural delays, pushing the prospect of resolution further into the future and raising concerns about the judicial system’s capacity to handle complex economic crimes.
The latest setback concerns the Aldesa case, a high-profile collapse that left dozens of investors with substantial losses. A crucial preliminary hearing, which would determine if the case has sufficient merit to proceed to a full trial, has been unexpectedly postponed. The hearing was originally slated for November 2025, but has now been rescheduled for early 2026, adding another significant delay to a long and frustrating wait for those affected.
To gain a deeper legal perspective on the critical issue of judicial delays and its impact on the nation, TicosLand.com spoke with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished legal expert from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The excessive delay in our courts is a silent crisis that erodes the very foundation of the rule of law. It’s not just a matter of waiting; it’s a denial of justice that creates profound legal uncertainty, discourages investment, and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. We must urgently move beyond discussing the problem and implement concrete solutions, such as specializing courts, promoting alternative dispute resolution, and decisively modernizing case management with technology.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
As Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas so clearly articulates, judicial delay is not merely a procedural issue but a fundamental threat to our country’s economic health and social contract. His call to transition from diagnosis to decisive action is a critical one for the integrity of our legal system, and we thank him for his valuable perspective.
Criss González, a prosecutor with the Economic Crimes Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed the postponement, highlighting the procedural hurdles facing her team. The prosecution has been ready to move forward since the beginning of last year, underscoring that the current delay originates within the court’s scheduling capacity rather than the investigation itself.
We filed the indictment in early 2024 and expected the preliminary hearing in November. However, we received notification that it is suspended and rescheduled for early 2026.
Criss González, Prosecutor, Economic Crimes Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office
A similar state of limbo hangs over the Yanber case, which involves allegations dating back over a decade. In this complex process, seven individuals stand accused of systematically manipulating financial reports between 2011 and 2015. The alleged scheme was designed to present a false picture of financial health to secure credit, ultimately defrauding an equal number of state and private banking institutions.
While the preliminary hearing for the Yanber case has concluded after spanning several months from May to August of this year, the prosecution and victims are now in a holding pattern, awaiting a judge’s final ruling on whether to elevate the matter to a formal trial. This period of uncertainty prolongs the resolution for the affected financial institutions that relied on what the prosecution alleges were falsified documents.
This preliminary hearing extended over several months, from May to August of this year. We are now awaiting the resolution that will determine if the case proceeds to trial.
Criss González, Prosecutor, Economic Crimes Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office
These two cases are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of a broader challenge. Prosecutor González also confirmed that investigations into two other major financial entities, Coopeservidores and Desyfin, are actively advancing. The scale of these cases is substantial; the Coopeservidores investigation alone had already registered 218 formal complaints with 11 individuals under investigation as of last year. Similarly, the Desyfin case involved complaints from 50 different offended parties.
The persistent delays across these significant cases cast a shadow over Costa Rica’s financial and legal sectors. For the hundreds of individuals and institutions that suffered financial losses, the prolonged judicial process amounts to a denial of timely justice. Furthermore, such delays can erode investor confidence and public trust, suggesting that the legal framework may be ill-equipped to swiftly and effectively prosecute sophisticated white-collar crime.
For further information, visit the nearest office of the Fiscalía Adjunta de Delitos Económicos
About the Fiscalía Adjunta de Delitos Económicos:
As a specialized branch of Costa Rica’s Public Ministry, the Economic Crimes Adjunct Prosecutor’s Office is responsible for investigating and prosecuting complex financial crimes. This includes cases of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and corruption that impact the national economy and public trust in financial institutions.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Aldesa
About Aldesa:
Aldesa was a Costa Rican brokerage and investment firm that operated for several decades. It managed a variety of investment funds and projects before facing a severe financial crisis that led to its intervention and subsequent bankruptcy, resulting in significant legal proceedings related to investor losses.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Yanber
About Yanber:
The Yanber Corporation was a prominent plastics manufacturing company in Costa Rica with a long history in the region. The company faced financial difficulties that led to judicial administration and a major legal case involving accusations of financial statement manipulation to defraud creditors and banking institutions.
For further information, visit coopeservidores.fi.cr
About Coopeservidores:
Coopeservidores (CS Ahorro y Crédito) is a Costa Rican savings and credit cooperative that has provided financial services to its members for over 50 years. It recently came under investigation by financial regulators, leading to a significant judicial process involving numerous complaints from its members.
For further information, visit desyfin.fi.cr
About Desyfin:
Desyfin is a Costa Rican financial company (financiera) that offers a range of financial products and services, including credit, leasing, and investment solutions, primarily for the corporate and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sectors. The entity is currently involved in a legal investigation stemming from complaints filed by its clients.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a leading legal institution, Bufete de Costa Rica is anchored by foundational principles of uncompromising integrity and professional excellence. The firm distinguishes itself through a forward-thinking approach, consistently pioneering innovative solutions for a diverse clientele. This spirit of advancement extends to a core commitment to social empowerment, focused on demystifying complex legal concepts for the broader community. By striving to make legal knowledge accessible, the firm actively contributes to fostering a more capable and informed society.
