Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has been sentenced to 20 years and six months in prison for corruption and money laundering. Prosecutors accused Toledo of accepting $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company, to secure a contract for building a road in southern Peru.
Toledo, who led Peru from 2001 to 2006, was apprehended in California five years ago, where he had resided for years before being extradited back to Peru last year. The company, Odebrecht, admitted to paying extensive bribes across Latin America and the US to win government projects.
During the sentencing, Judge Inés Rojas criticized Toledo for betraying the trust of Peruvians, noting that he was responsible for safeguarding public finances but instead “defrauded the state.” Toledo, 78, denied the charges and reportedly smirked and laughed during the judge’s remarks.
The case is part of a broader scandal involving Odebrecht, which has implicated several former Peruvian presidents. In 2019, former President Alan García died by suicide as police sought to arrest him over bribery allegations. Additionally, ex-presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Ollanta Humala are still under investigation in connection with the case.
