Sep 28, 2021 - World

U.S. judge clears way for extradition of former Peru president

Noah Garfinkel

Presidential candidate Alejandro Toledo, accompanied by his wife Eliane — Presidential candidate Alejandro Toledo, accompanied by his wife, Eliane. Photo: Anibal Solimano/Newsmakers.

A U.S. judge on Tuesday cleared the way for former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo to be extradited back to Peru, per Reuters.

The big picture: Peruvian authorities accuse Toledo of negotiating bribes with Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht SA while serving as president from 2001 to 2006, Reuters notes. Toledo denies any wrongdoing.

The former president has said that Israeli businessman Josef Maiman was working for Odebrecht SA but misrepresented himself to Toledo, Bloomberg reports.

Details: U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson decided there was probable cause due to the testimony of businessman Josef Maiman and former Odebrecht head in Peru Jorge Barata.

"Barata and Maiman's testimony, combined with Toledo's admissions in this extradition proceeding that he ultimately received approximately $500,000 in Odebrecht bribe money ... establish probable cause to believe that Toledo committed collusion and money laundering," the judge wrote, according to Reuters.

Of note: Five of Peru's former presidents have been charged with crimes previously after being accused of corruption.

What's next: The State Department will have the final say on whether or not he is extradited.

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U.S. judge clears way for extradition of former Peru president

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