In the light of the dismissal of all cases / charges against you may I say how sorry we are if the article in The Sunday Times caused offence or embarrassment to you or your wife. RICHARD CASEBY MANAGING EDITOR

THE SUNDAY TIMES

1 Pennington Street, London E98 lST

Telephone: 020 7782 5000 Fax: 020 7782 5658

28th September 2001

Mr Gustavo Gómez López

Dear Mr Gomez Lopez

I am writing to you in connection with the complaint you have made about the article published in The Sunday Times on 3 June 2001 entitled “Millionaires exploit residency loophole». I understand that your concern is that the article suggests that you exploited loopholes in UK immigration procedures in order to obtain the right to reside in this country.

We have been informed by Theodore Goddard that you were advised by that firm and by Colin Nichols QC in 1994 when you obtained residency status in the United Kingdom as a person of independent means. We further understand that although you were originally charged and convicted in absentja in Venezuela those convictions and all other proceedings brought against you in Venezuela, the United States and Curacao in relation to the collapse of Banco Latino have now been dismissed. Whatever the state of play was in early 1994 when you arrived in this country it is quite clear that any charges you were then facing were without merit or foundation.

In those circumstances and based on what I am told by Theodore Goddard about events in 1994, I am pleased to say that we are withdrawing the article from our website and databases and from the cuttings library as now wholly inappropriate and potentially seriously misleading. In the light of the dismissal of all cases / charges against you may I say how sorry we are if the article in The Sunday Times caused offence or embarrassment to you or your wife.

Yours sincerely

RICHARD CASEBY

MANAGING EDITOR