Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Peru’s Former President Sentenced to 15 Years in Odebrecht Corruption Scandal

Ollanta Humala jailed for money laundering while his wife, Nadine Heredia, granted asylum in Brazil after receiving the same sentence.

Image
Image
Peru's former President Ollanta Humala speaks next to his wife Nadine Heredia outside their home after being released from preventative detention awaiting trial on charges of money laundering, in Lima on April 30, 2018.
Peru's former first lady Nadine Heredia arrives home after leaving jail, in Lima, Peru April 30, 2018. REUTERS/Janine Costa/File Photo

Overview

  • Ollanta Humala, Peru's former president, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for laundering $3 million in illicit funds from Odebrecht and Venezuela's government to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns.
  • Nadine Heredia, Humala's wife and former first lady, received the same sentence but sought and was granted diplomatic asylum in Brazil, along with safe passage for her and their youngest son.
  • The case is part of the broader Odebrecht bribery scandal, which has implicated multiple Peruvian leaders and involved over $29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials between 2005 and 2014.
  • Humala's legal team plans to appeal the ruling, claiming the charges are politically motivated and that prosecutors failed to prove the funds' illegal origin.
  • This sentencing highlights Peru's deepening political corruption crisis, with several former presidents either imprisoned, under investigation, or deceased due to their links to the Odebrecht scandal.