A teacher from the Central Department, Carmen Molas, reported to the Special Commission of the Senate a debt scheme that allegedly turned a small purchase into a million-dollar debt. The case is part of the investigation into the so-called "promissory note mafia," which reportedly victimized mainly teachers, nurses, and public employees through compulsory salary deductions.
Molas stated that she purchased an induction cooktop for G. 2,880,000 but discovered years later that five deduction authorizations had been issued for the same amount, as if she had bought five units. "I ended up paying G. 14,400,000 for a single cooktop," she said. The educator also received a term as a gift, but the item appeared in the documentation as part of the commercial transaction.
According to the teacher, she has already paid around G. 50 million in salary deductions, but the company Nueva Visión S.A. claims she still owes G. 21 million. "My deductions never ended, and I wanted to know why they kept deducting compulsively," Molas declared during her testimony.
The Special Commission of the Senate, chaired by Senator Rafael Filizzola (Progressive Democratic Party), identified a pattern in the operations: splitting deduction authorizations, using blank-signed promissory notes, and issuing multiple documents for the same purchase. Another case analyzed was that of teacher Diana Paniagua from San Pedro, who purchased a ceiling fan and a set of thermoses for G. 1,800,000 but saw her debt multiplied by five through consecutive authorizations.
The investigation revealed that the same owners of Nueva Visión S.A. control two other companies in the same sector—NDL S.A. and Fast Credit S.A.—with a linked administrative structure. The Commission also found that several judicial executions of promissory notes related to these companies were allegedly promoted by the same person.
Molas warned other teachers to carefully review documentation before signing contracts and to request copies of all forms. "Signing documents does not mean there was clear information or informed consent," the educator emphasized.