Leaked Chats Show Progen CEO John Manning Discussed Fraud and Bribery in Ecuador Power Scandal

Leaked chats reveal Progen CEO John Manning discussed falsifying equipment specs and refusing to pay a judge in Ecuador.

TruthFoundry Desk

from the fact record

Stands on 8 placed sources from 2 publishers.

In a chat dated July 5, 2024, John Manning suggested to Karla Saud that they describe 20 generators with remanufactured engines as 'newly assembled units' to avoid fraud charges. ^[1] In a chat dated June 7, 2025, John Manning refused an alleged request from Karla Saud to pay a judge in Ecuador, stating that Progen would never pay anyone abroad under any circumstances. ^[2] Leaked chat logs show Progen CEO John Manning discussing the risk of criminal charges regarding remanufactured generators for the Quevedo and Salitral power plants in Ecuador. ^[3] Chats dated June 7, 2025, show Karla Saud proposing a bribe to a judge to secure contracts, a proposal that John Manning, Progen's CEO, firmly rejected. ^[4] Investigation by Celec in the United States has uncovered chat logs suggesting a bribery plot by Karla Saud, Progen's representative in Ecuador, regarding contracts in Ecuador. ^[5] The investigation involves 31 people, mostly technicians from Celec, but John Manning was not prosecuted despite his alleged role in the contracts. ^[6] Celec unilaterally terminated contracts for the acquisition of generators worth USD 104 million, which were never delivered to Ecuador. ^[7] John Manning stated that neither Progen nor any of its employees would ever be involved in paying a judge or government official. ^[8]

What this stands on

In a chat dated July 5, 2024, John Manning suggested to Karla Saud that they describe 20 generators with remanufactured engines as 'newly assembled units' to avoid fraud charges. · Diario Expreso

In a chat dated June 7, 2025, John Manning refused an alleged request from Karla Saud to pay a judge in Ecuador, stating that Progen would never pay anyone abroad under any circumstances. · Diario Expreso

Leaked chat logs show Progen CEO John Manning discussing the risk of criminal charges regarding remanufactured generators for the Quevedo and Salitral power plants in Ecuador. · Diario Expreso

Chats dated June 7, 2025, show Karla Saud proposing a bribe to a judge to secure contracts, a proposal that John Manning, Progen's CEO, firmly rejected. · Primicias

Investigation by Celec in the United States has uncovered chat logs suggesting a bribery plot by Karla Saud, Progen's representative in Ecuador, regarding contracts in Ecuador. · Primicias

The investigation involves 31 people, mostly technicians from Celec, but John Manning was not prosecuted despite his alleged role in the contracts. · Diario Expreso

Celec unilaterally terminated contracts for the acquisition of generators worth USD 104 million, which were never delivered to Ecuador. · Primicias

John Manning stated that neither Progen nor any of its employees would ever be involved in paying a judge or government official. · Primicias

We could not place any of them by their address. None is an official body: that part stands on reporting, not on the underlying document or transcript.

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