Son of ex-Panama president plans to plead guilty to U.S. bribery charges

FILE PHOTO: Luis Enrique Martinelli, one of the sons of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, detained in Guatemala, sits in the back of a car as he arrives at the Guatemalan Air Force for his extradition to the U.S. under charges of money laundering, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, November 15, 2021. Picture taken through glass. REUTERS/Luis Echeverria

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A son of former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli plans to plead guilty to U.S. bribery and money laundering charges linked to Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Luis Enrique Martinelli was extradited on Monday to the United States from Guatemala, where he was arrested in July 2020. He said at Tuesday's virtual arraignment in Brooklyn federal court that he was pleading not guilty "for the purpose of this hearing."