Peru prosecutors seek jail for president in corruption case

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 5:06 pm, Tuesday, July 11, 2017




LIMA, Peru (AP) — Prosecutors in Peru on Tuesday requested the arrest of former President Ollanta Humala and his wife on money laundering and conspiracy charges tied to a corruption scandal involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

Prosecutor German Juarez told The Associated Press that he asked a judge to jail Humala and former first lady Nadine Heredia for 18 months. He said the request is based on testimony provided in Brazil by the former head of Odebrecht, who said he illegally contributed $3 million to Humala's 2011 presidential campaign.
 
The judge had 48 hours to determine whether to order the arrest of Humala and Heredia. He has already ordered the arrest of another former president, Alejandro Toledo, for related charges. Toledo is in the U.S. fighting attempts by Peruvian authorities to have him deported to answer the charges.

Authorities across Latin America have been moving to charge officials accused of taking some $800 million in bribes from Odebrecht. The company acknowledged the bribes when it signed a plea agreement in December with the U.S. Justice Department.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Peru-prosecutors-seek-jail-for-president-in-11280735.php

[Judi Lynn]

1. Peru prosecutors seek pretrial detention for ex-president Humala

Tue Jul 11, 2017 | 6:22pm EDT

The Peruvian attorney general's office said on Tuesday it was seeking pretrial detention for former President Ollanta Humala, who is under investigation for money laundering over allegations he took illegal funds from Brazilian builder Odebrecht SA [ODBES.UL].

A hearing to rule on the request for the pretrial detention for Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, was scheduled for Wednesday, the attorney general's office said on Twitter without providing additional details.

. . .

Humala and Heredia have been suspects in a money laundering investigation by German Juarez, a public prosecutor who has accused the couple of taking illegal funds from Odebrecht to help finance Humala's campaign.

Juarez traveled to Brazil this year to question Marcelo Odebrecht, the company's imprisoned former chief executive who has turned state's witness.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-peru-corruption-idUSKBN19W2KZ

[sandensea]

2. Humala and Argentina's Macri may have to share a jail cell in the future.

Odebrecht, you may recall, was handed a $3 billion rail tunnel contract by Macri last year - just months after they contributed at least $500,000 to his campaign.

Macri's handler from his Boca Juniors days - the current intelligence boss Gustavo Arribas - is known to have gleaned a further $850,000 as a go-between.

Thanks to these revelations however (owed entirely to the steadfast Brazilian investigators) Odebrecht was forced to bow out of the rail tunnel contract last month - at least on paper.

Thanks as always for keeping us updated on the highs - and lows - of Latin American politics, Judi.

Salud!