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US Justice Dept asks to seize US$639,583 from bank account linked to ex-President Toledo

14:07 | Lima, Oct. 15.

The U.S. Department of Justice has requested the seizure of up to US$639,583 from a Bank of America account linked to former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo.

The request was based on the suspicion that said money was the proceeds from a real estate transaction in Maryland State, through which Toledo allegedly tried to launder US$1.2 million.

According to the U.S. justice, such sum of money might be part of the bribes he allegedly received from Brazilian company Odebrecht.

The house is located at 8933 Holly Leaf Lane in Bethesda City (Maryland), where Toledo and his wife Eliane Karp lived between 2009 and 2012.

Last Monday, his attorney Heriberto Benitez stated —from Lima— that Toledo had been transferred to another U.S. jail.

Toledo is currently confined at Maguire Correctional Facility in California.

The ex-President had been imprisoned in a solitary cell —to guarantee his safety— at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ordered the release on bail of Toledo on October 22 if an alternative detention arrangement was not found.

As is known, former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was arrested in the United States by an extradition order against him, within the framework of the investigations over alleged corruption offenses in the awarding of the South Interoceanic Highway Project to Brazilian company Odebrecht.

On September 12, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson denied the request made by the ex-President's defense to release him on bail during the extradition process.

Furthermore, in a statement sent to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise LaPunzina pointed out Toledo himself asked for the special security measures in jail, which included solitary confinement.

Toledo is wanted by the Peruvian justice to face an investigation into the alleged bribes worth US$35 million paid by Brazilian company Odebrecht over the concession for the development of the South Interoceanic Highway during his term in office (2001-2006).

(END) VVS/CVC/DTK/RMB

Publicado: 15/10/2019