The Betrayal by Robert Mazur

Author:Robert Mazur [Mazur, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

12

NORIEGA’S MAN

Panama City, Panama

July–August 1993

After mingling with Panama’s underworld elite for a year, I discovered my reputation as a confidant of Gilbert Straub, Rinaldo Laguna, and other unsavory characters made me more attractive to onlookers who also swam in the cesspool of dirty money. Collectively, my circle of new “friends” in Panama functioned as a Trojan horse that gave others in the underworld some peace of mind when considering whether to trust me. Between my references and my potential as an earner, someone who could help them feed off a bigger piece of drug profits, it was getting easier for me to open new doors and tongues. The time had come to make a move to get close to Jorge Krupnik, one of the wealthiest and most powerful players in the country. I’d heard about him from Steven Richards, so I knew he was an ally of major criminals in town, including Gilbert Straub.

From afar, Krupnik knew I was a guy who had been accepted by some of the power brokers in town. Hopefully, Straub had told him about my role with the men in Cali. Most importantly, he had a long and strong friendship with Richards. I’d seen Krupnik months before, in strictly social settings, but had purposely held off talking business with him until I was confident that Straub had bought my act and would likely endorse me. If I tried to make a run at too many smart crooks at once, their savvy would have smelled fed.

Richards put a bug in Krupnik’s ear about my having been a good friend and partner in crime for years. It didn’t take Krupnik long to welcome the Trojan horse. “I’ve heard good things about Mr. Baldasare. I’d appreciate it if you’d bring him by my office so we can be formally introduced.”

Maybe he was curious, but more likely his interest was triggered by greed.

On one of the many nights with Panama’s movers and shakers at El Pavo Real, I brought Krupnik’s name up with one of my crooked banker friends. “I’ve been invited to meet someone in town who I’m told is a person of influence. Do you know Jorge Krupnik?”

The banker wrinkled his nose like he’d smelled something foul. “He’s hotter than a volcano. For me, he’s too high profile. He hid Manuel Noriega the first few nights of the US invasion and used to be Noriega’s man in charge of weapons procurement for the entire country. Everyone knows they were very close friends. He has some scary buddies, including Noriega’s head of security, Michael Harari, a former Mossad agent who they say tracked down and murdered some of the Palestinian terrorists who held Israelis hostage at the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda in 1976. He has serious contacts in Russia, Italian organized crime, and the Colombian underworld. Working openly with him will draw attention. I suggest you proceed with caution.”

I couldn’t wait to meet Krupnik, but I couldn’t broadcast that when I met him. It would be important for me to act only mildly impressed.

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