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Original article: Contraloría deja al descubierto a la Tía Rica: 1.681 personas con antecedentes penales usaron el sistema de empeño sin control ni denuncias

A report from the National Audit Office has uncovered significant shortcomings in the General Directorate of Pawn Credit (DICREP), known as Tía Rica. Between 2023 and 2024, 1,681 individuals with criminal records pawned goods worth $1.507 billion without the service filing any reports or informing authorities, amidst repeated high-value transactions and internal controls deemed weak.

Findings of the Audit at Tía Rica

According to the Report No. 400 for 2025, the audit assessed secured loans granted to pawners by the Head Office – San Pablo Branch of DICREP, reviewing administration, custody, liquidation, renewal, and payment of excesses from auctions of expired pledges during 2023 and 2024.

In this context, the auditing body concluded that Tía Rica exhibited “weak control” over its operations, noting both the presence of users with highly frequent transactions and individuals with criminal backgrounds who pawned goods and failed to retrieve them, without any alert or reporting mechanisms being activated.

The National Audit Office specifically highlighted Tía Rica’s failure to implement sufficient procedures to verify the identity, backgrounds, or lawful acquisition of the pledged items.

Repeated Transactions Exceeding $7 Billion Per Year

The report details that in 2023, the service’s systems recorded 4,769 users with recurring transactions, meaning between 10 and 229 operations per person, totaling $7.139 billion.

In 2024, the number of users increased to 4,895, with transactions reaching $7.290 billion, and frequencies of up to 230 pawns per person within a year.

Despite these volumes and frequencies, the audit found that DICREP lacked an alert system to detect recurring operations that could warrant additional review or coordination with other institutions.

1,681 Individuals with Criminal Records and Zero Reports

A particularly concerning aspect of the report is the situation of individuals with criminal records who utilized the service. The audit revealed that 1,681 individuals with criminal records conducted transactions totaling $1.507 billion and did not retrieve the pledged items.

Despite this finding, the agency noted that DICREP did not file reports nor provide information to the relevant authorities, even though the nature of the goods—which may include serial numbers, models, and conditions—could be potentially significant for police or criminal investigations.

Thus, the National Audit Office exposed Tía Rica not only for its weak internal controls but also for the lack of coordination with the criminal prosecution system in situations that could involve criminal elements.

Lack of Control and Coordination with Law Enforcement

The audit also highlighted the absence of basic procedures to:

• Verify personal information of pawners.
• Confirm the lawful origin of goods.
• Robustly verify the identity of users.

Additionally, it was determined that no alert system exists for repeated operations, nor are there coordination mechanisms with law enforcement agencies, even though the pledged items contain identifying information that could be useful in investigations, such as serial numbers, models, and conditions of the goods.

In summary, the National Audit Office describes a framework in which secured loans are granted and goods received as guarantees without the minimum filters expected of a public service handling items potentially linked to criminal activities.

Measures Ordered by the National Audit Office

In light of these findings, the National Audit Office resolved to:

• Initiate a disciplinary procedure to determine administrative responsibilities within DICREP.
• Forward the report to the Public Ministry to evaluate potential criminal implications based on the gathered information.
• Direct the General Directorate of Pawn Credit to enhance its controls, both in verifying users and goods, as well as in establishing alerts and coordination with other institutions.

The agency also indicated that these measures will be subject to subsequent follow-up to ensure Tía Rica effectively implements the ordered changes.

With this report, the National Audit Office has shed light on a particularly sensitive issue for Tía Rica: its ability—or lack thereof—to ensure that the pawn system does not become a shadowy space, lacking adequate control over who pawns, what is pawned, and what happens to those goods when they are never recovered.

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