The former grand master of the Cuban Lodge is accused of embezzling over $2,000 to the police.

Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño, former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Cuba, was accused by Cuban authorities of misappropriating $2,360, as reported this Monday by the new Grand Master, Juan Alberto Kessel Linares, in a statement obtained by Cubanet.

According to the source cited, the document explains that the money was delivered to Urquía Carreño in August of last year by the then Grand Treasurer, Salvador Orestes Arango Troncoso.

When questioned by the current Grand Secretary, Misiel Hernández Peraza, about the money in question, Urquía Carreño first claimed that it was in the hands of the current Grand Treasurer, Airam Cervera, and then denied having received any donations in currency during his term.

Both allegations are false - as stated in the document - and for this reason, a report was filed with the authorities.

Given that the aforementioned Urquía Carreño concealed the act of appropriating the sum of 2,360 USD, without showing any intention of returning it to its rightful owner, which is the Grand Lodge of Cuba of A. L. and A. M., the Grand Secretary informs the Grand Master of his intentions to file the corresponding complaint with the competent authorities. At that time, a witness was sought, who in this case was the VM. Raúl Pérez Martín, Former Master of the Respectable Lodge Santa Marta; the complaint was then filed at the Zapata PNR station at 5:41 pm on Saturday, March 30, with No. 22423/2024, for the crime of embezzlement," the statement indicates.

Cubanet specified - citing the testimony of a freemason who requested not to be identified - that "on several occasions, Mario Urquía was asked about that money to place it in the safe of the Grand Treasury, where it should be, and his answers were evasive; then he said that it was agreed that that money was together with the 19 thousand that were stolen from his office. Too much of a coincidence; however, he did not declare it in his report to the police."

The accusation comes after the scandal involving the theft of $19,000 from the Grand Master's office at the Grand Lodge of Cuba on January 5 of this year.

Although Urquía Carreño made the report - by demand of the National Masonic Asylum Board - he is currently the only suspect being investigated by the police.

On March 24, the High Masonic Chamber expelled Mario Urquía with shouts of "out thief, usurper, shameless, traitor," as he refused to comply with the demand of the more than three hundred representatives gathered for the Annual Session.

The Masons were based on the illegality with which he carried out his position since he was expelled on January 25 by the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Republic of Cuba (which oversees the philosophical degrees from 4 to 33).

After his expulsion, Urquía Carreño has refused to hand over the office to the new Grand Master. He has also tried to appeal against the interference of the Registry of Associations of the Ministry of Justice in the internal affairs of the Grand Lodge.

In mid-January, Urquía Carreño issued a statement regarding the theft of money that occurred under their custody, which belonged to the Masonic National Nursing Home Llansó.

In the extensive document, in which he detailed the chronology of events, he ruled out resigning from his position and expressed his discontent with the proceedings that took place at the extraordinary meeting of the Board of Trustees where the issue was discussed. On that occasion, he assured that initially most of the siblings understood that the theft of the money was a despicable act and not his intention, and he committed to replacing the money.

Mario Alberto Urquía, however, was reluctant to file a report with the police because he believed that such a significant amount "should not be outside the bank," and also because public knowledge of what happened would mean "discredit for the institution."

Despite this, the collective agreement was to issue a public statement reporting what had happened and to make the corresponding report to the PNR. Urquía Carreño complained that while he was filing the report at the Zanja unit with the Grand Treasurer, VH. Ángel Santisteban Prats, and Antonio Fernández Pérez, he received the news that the statement had already been drafted in his absence, which he described as a "flagrant violation of what was agreed."

Until the closing of this note, there are no further details on the complaint filed against Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño, former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Cuba.