Former Guatemalan President Otto Pérez was sentenced to 16 years in prison for leading customs fraud.
in Guatemala former president Otto Perez has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. The court found that Pérez led an extensive system of customs fraud while serving as the country’s president.
Pérez’s former vice president received the same sentence Roxana Baldetti.
Pérez had to leave his post in 2015.
of the UN supported by a corruption investigation group uncovered several scandals in Guatemala before in 2019 then-President Jimmy Morales abolished it. At that time, the group had begun to investigate Morales’ actions.
One of the group’s successes was exposing the customs fraud that led to Pérez’s dismissal. According to the researchers, those involved in the fraud accepted bribes worth about 3.5 million dollars. In addition, Guatemala is estimated to have lost nearly ten million dollars in tax revenue.
Pérez, 72, said he was disappointed by the verdict and would appeal it.
16 other people were also convicted in the trial.
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