LIMA, Sept 8 (NNN-ANDINA) — Peru’s Lava Jato Case Prosecutor’s Office has seized S/400 million (about US$121 million) from businesses and people under investigation for alleged corruption offenses involving Brazilian construction companies and Peruvian citizens.
Prosecutor Jorge Ramirez indicated this measure was used against houses, apartments, vehicles, and shares in order to guarantee the civil reparations payment in case guilty verdicts are issued.
According to him, confiscations are aimed at preventing businesses or people under investigation from transferring their assets to avoid paying civil reparations for the damages caused to the Peruvian State.
In this sense, the above-mentioned figure corresponds to 25 criminal investigations in which the measure has been requested.
The seizures correspond to 25 companies and 179 people under investigation.
“It is important to point out that the money the State will receive as civil reparation is different from the money of illegal origin or bribes that the people under investigation are obligated to return,” the Prosecutor’s Office said.
In mid-February, Peru’s Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group signed the long-awaited collaboration agreement with Odebrecht representatives and former employees in Brazil. The accord did not include the Southern Gas Pipeline project.
This deal was intended to procure evidence and testimonies for the investigation of corruption cases in the Andean nation.
As is known, the Brazilian construction giant admitted to having paid millions in bribes to government officials in Peru, in order to secure public-works contracts.
As a result, Odebrecht benefited from over US$143 million between 2005 and 2014 in Peru, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
In addition, four ex-Presidents have been linked to the Brazilian company such as: Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), Alan Garcia (2006-2011), Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018).
Former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori —currently under preventive detention— allegedly received money from Odebrecht for her 2011 campaign.
Ex-Lima Mayor Susana Villaran also admitted that Odebrecht and OAS had financed an anti-recall campaign during her tenure between 2011 and 2014. She currently serves a 24-month preventive detention. — NNN-ANDINA
