“We are carrying out the latest investigative activities to determine the involvement of the people who helped carry out the events. We expect to bring the charges in mid-February,” said La Paz District Attorney William Alave.
In statements to Cadena A, he said that 15 people were previously accused in this file, three of whom were in preventive custody.
The file, entitled “Millionaire Bribery,” was activated following a complaint from the Vice Ministry of Institutional Transparency and Anti-Corruption, which began investigating in January 2023 and formalized its accusation before the State Ministry.
The main defendant is Santos, who, according to the investigation, together with his circle of subordinates, carried out economic movements worth millions with the aim of acquiring real estate and vehicles.
The alleged purchases were made using funds collected from companies that won contracts.
In addition to the former minister, the former officials of this department, Alexander SS and Viviana B., also appear to be involved; among others, former Vice President Carmelo Valda, former Director of the Program Coordination and Implementation Unit, Ricardo AB, and former “key witness” Claudia C.
Santos was charged with the crime of illicit enrichment after highlighting the elements collected by the prosecution, including the bank transfers he made to his nephew in the amount of 297,000 435 bolivianos (more than 42,000 dollars), transferred 98,557 bolivianos (14,000 dollars) in favor of Viviana B. and others.
The arrest of the former leader for alleged corruption confirmed the national government's zero tolerance policy towards these illegal activities, according to Vice Minister for Institutional Transparency Susana Ríos.
Ríos confirmed that, as part of the fight against corruption, the investigation into the so-called Millionaire Bribes case, based on bank information data, had made significant progress.
He explained that this file was activated after learning of social media publications in January 2023, for which the ownership requirements were initiated with Real Rights and the Motor Vehicle Ownership Control Board.
On February 15, a complainant contacted the Deputy Ministry and provided “partial information” to the Justice Ministry for investigation, for which a bank report was requested, which was received in full on March 15 last year.
ode/jpm