WASHINGTON D.C. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation is continuing the search in the United States for Yolanda Ricaforte, the fugitive accountant of former President Estrada. The Sandiganbayan Sept. 12 convicted Estrada of plunder yesterday for amassing P545 million in protection money from illegal gambling and collection of a P189.7-million commission from the sale of shares of real estate firm Belle Corp. Ricaforte, 56, is allegedly an accomplice of Estrada, who collected tens of millions of dollars in illegal gambling payoffs during his 31 months in office.

For approximately two years, Ricaforte allegedly audited the collection and disbursement of the illegal payoffs to Estrada, and kept a ledger in which theindividuals making payments were given aliases. She left the country in April 2001 soon after Estrada was ousted by another People Power. Ricaforte was one of the five persons ordered arrested. They are Jaime Dichaves, Alma Alfaro, Eleuterio Tan and Delia Rajas.