Oxfam Chairman Juan Alberto Fuentes Arrested for Corruption

Juan Alberto Fuentes, the chairman of the board of Oxfam International and a former Minister of Finance of the Guatemalan government, has been arrested in the Central American country on charges of corruption. While his arrest is unrelated to Oxfam's sexual exploitation scandal, it will undoubtedly raise eyebrows about the troubled organization's senior management, particularly on issues related to due diligence for those occupying top-tier positions.

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Guatemalan prosecutors also announced that former Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has also been arrested as part of their probe into the acquisition of public buses used in Guatemala City, according to The Guardian.

However, it is Fuentes arrest that will add fuel to the flames of the Oxfam scandal. Though the charity has issued an “unreserved apology” to the government of Haiti, the Caribbean island's President Jovenel Moise called the episode a “serious violation of human dignity.”

The head of state published on his Twitter account that “There is nothing more indecent and dishonest than a sexual predator who uses his position as part of a humanitarian response to a natural disaster.”

He went on state that such acts are deplorable, especially considering the fact that “people who are in need during moments of great vulnerability” are taken advantage of.

A recent report conducted by The Times revealed that Oxfam staff members invited young prostitutes to their guesthouse in Delmas, near Port-au-Prince. Some of the invitees allegedly wore Oxfam T-shirts and participated in sex parties.

Oxfam's Deputy Chief Executive Penny Lawrence has resigned due to the scandal. "As program director at the time, I am ashamed that this happened on my watch and I take full responsibility," he said.