Latest news with #Odebrecht-related
Korea Herald
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Peruvian court sentences former President Humala and wife to 15 years
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced former President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns. The judges of the National Superior Court found that Humala and Heredia received almost $3 million in illegal contributions for these campaigns from Odebrecht and the government of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013). Humala's wife requested asylum at the Brazilian embassy in Lima, Peru's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday afternoon. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry added that Heredia entered the Brazilian Embassy in the morning and requested asylum under the 1954 Convention on Diplomatic Asylum, to which both Peru and Brazil are signatories. Heredia's brother, Ilan Heredia, was also sentenced to 12 years in prison for money laundering in the same case. Humala came to power in 2011 after defeating right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori in the second round. Nayko Coronado, one of the court's three judges, ordered the convicted individuals to be jailed immediately. The former president, the only one present for the verdict, was surrounded by police and escorted from the courtroom. Dressed in a business suit, tie and glasses, the 62-year-old retired military officer Humala was observed writing and speaking on his cell phone during the session. His wife was not in attendance, with the defense stating she followed the proceedings online due to ill health. The court's decision means both will remain incarcerated until July 28, 2039. The verdict makes Humala the third former Peruvian president imprisoned for corruption in the last two decades. He joins Alejandro Toledo, sentenced in 2024 to 20 years for Odebrecht-related crimes, and Alberto Fujimori, who received multiple convictions for corruption and human rights abuses. The trial began in 2022, and alongside Humala and his 48-year-old wife, the court convicted eight others. Both Humala and Heredia were held in pretrial detention from 2017 to 2018 at the prosecutor's request to prevent their flight. Odebrecht's 2016 admission of widespread bribery across Latin America preceded the initial investigations against Humala, which started in 2015, a year before the company's revelations. Most of the presidents who governed Peru since 2001 have faced legal problems due to their connections with Odebrecht. Toledo is currently imprisoned, while former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is under house arrest. Alan Garcia, who served two non-consecutive terms (1985-1990 and 2006-2011), died by suicide in 2019 as authorities moved to arrest him in connection with Odebrecht bribes. Beyond former presidents, prominent figures like former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori and numerous ex-governors are also under investigation.
Express Tribune
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Peru jails former president Humala Ollanta and wife for 15 years
Listen to article Peru's former president Ollanta Humala was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of accepting illicit campaign funding from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. His wife, Nadine Heredia, received an identical sentence. Shortly after the ruling, Peru's foreign ministry confirmed she had entered the Brazilian embassy in Lima and was granted diplomatic asylum, citing health concerns. She will be allowed safe passage to travel to Brazil with her youngest son. Ollanta Humala, who served from 2011 to 2016, becomes the latest in a string of former Peruvian leaders to be imprisoned for corruption-related charges. The court found that Ollanta Humala and Nadine Heredia received illegal contributions during his presidential bids in 2006 and 2011. The funds allegedly came from Odebrecht – now known as Novonor – which has admitted to decades-long bribery schemes throughout Latin America. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence for Ollanta Humala and 26 years for Nadine Heredia. Both were accused of funnelling millions through the Nationalist Party to fund election campaigns. They denied the charges and plan to appeal after the full ruling is issued on 29 April. The couple's legal troubles began in 2016, shortly after Ollanta Humala left office. A year later, they were detained during a preliminary investigation. While released in 2018, the judicial probe continued, culminating in the verdict this week. Nadine Heredia's legal team noted she had been refused prior requests to leave Peru for cancer treatment. Brazilian officials have not disclosed further details about the asylum conditions. Ollanta Humala will serve his sentence at a police base that has housed other former Peruvian presidents. Alejandro Toledo and Pedro Castillo are currently imprisoned there, while Alberto Fujimori was released in 2023. The Lava Jato investigation has ensnared leaders across the region. In 2019, ex-president Alan García died by suicide as police attempted to arrest him over alleged Odebrecht-related bribery. Odebrecht's executives have testified that nearly every major presidential campaign in Peru over a 30-year span received funding from the company.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former Peruvian president Ollanta Humala sentenced to 15 years for money laundering
A Peruvian court has sentenced former president Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance Humala's 2006 and 2011 campaigns. The judges of the national superior court found that Humala and Heredia received several million dollars in illegal contributions for these campaigns from Odebrecht and the government of then Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. The verdict makes Humala the third former Peruvian president to be imprisoned for corruption in the last two decades. He joins Alejandro Toledo, sentenced in 2024 to 20 years for Odebrecht-related crimes, and Alberto Fujimori, who received multiple convictions for corruption and human rights abuses. The trial began in 2022, and alongside the 62-year-old former military officer and his 48-year-old wife, the court convicted eight others. Both Humala and Heredia were held in pre-trial detention from 2017 to 2018 at the prosecutor's request to prevent their flight. Odebrecht's 2016 admission of widespread bribery across Latin America preceded the initial investigations against Humala, which started in 2015, a year before the company's revelations. Most of the presidents who have governed Peru since 2001 have faced legal problems due to their connections with Odebrecht. Toledo is currently imprisoned, while the former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is under house arrest. Alan García, who served two non-consecutive terms, died by suicide in 2019 as authorities moved to arrest him in connection with Odebrecht bribes. In addition to former presidents, prominent figures such as the former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori and numerous ex-governors are also under investigation.
South China Morning Post
15-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Peru court sentences ex-president Humala and wife to 15 years for money laundering
A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced former president Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns. Advertisement The judges of the National Superior Court found that Humala and Heredia received several million dollars in illegal contributions for these campaigns from Odebrecth and the government of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013). This verdict makes Humala the third former Peruvian president imprisoned for corruption in the last two decades. He joins Alejandro Toledo, sentenced in 2024 to 20 years for Odebrecht-related crimes, and Alberto Fujimori, who received multiple convictions for corruption and human rights abuses. The trial began in 2022, and alongside the 62-year-old former military officer Humala and his 48-year-old wife, the court convicted eight others. 04:30 Peru's controversial former president Alberto Fujimori dies of cancer Peru's controversial former president Alberto Fujimori dies of cancer Both Humala and Heredia were held in pretrial detention from 2017 to 2018 at the prosecutor's request to prevent their flight.
Los Angeles Times
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Peruvian court sentences former President Humala and wife to 15 years for money laundering
LIMA, Peru — A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced former President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns. The judges of the National Superior Court found that Humala and Heredia received several million dollars in illegal contributions for these campaigns from Odebrecth and the government of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013). This verdict makes Humala the third former Peruvian president imprisoned for corruption in the last two decades. He joins Alejandro Toledo, sentenced in 2024 to 20 years for Odebrecht-related crimes, and Alberto Fujimori, who received multiple convictions for corruption and human rights abuses. The trial began in 2022, and alongside the 62-year-old former military officer Humala and his 48-year-old wife, the court convicted eight others. Both Humala and Heredia were held in pretrial detention from 2017 to 2018 at the prosecutor's request to prevent their flight. Odebrecht's 2016 admission of widespread bribery across Latin America preceded the initial investigations against Humala, which started in 2015, a year before the company's revelations.
