{"id":12158,"date":"2026-01-26T12:14:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T12:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elpregonerodechile.com\/?p=12158"},"modified":"2026-01-26T12:14:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T12:14:49","slug":"facing-charges-of-bribery-and-money-laundering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elpregonerodechile.com\/?p=12158","title":{"rendered":"Facing Charges of Bribery and Money Laundering"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Original article: Carabineros se llev\u00f3 detenida y esposada a \u00c1ngela Vivanco: ser\u00e1 formalizada por cohecho y lavado de activos<\/a><\/p>\n\n

A video circulated on social media shows former Supreme Court Justice, Angela Vivanco, leaving her home in handcuffs and surrounded by a significant contingent of Carabineros\u2019 OS7 unit.<\/span><\/h4>\n

In an unprecedented event in Chile\u2019s judicial history, the OS7 unit of Carabineros detained and handcuffed former Supreme Court Justice Angela Vivanco Mart\u00ednez on Sunday night. The operation took place at her residence in Las Condes, marking a pivotal moment in the corruption investigation known as the \u00abBelarusian Doll bielorrusa<\/a>\u00bb case.<\/p>\n

The arrest followed an operation lasting approximately one hour, during which police officers entered and searched the home of the ousted judge. Present at the scene were also the regional prosecutor for Los Lagos, Marcos Mu\u00f1oz, who informed Vivanco about the arrest warrant against her, alongside her attorney, Jorge Balladares.<\/p>\n

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Mu\u00f1oz explained that the procedure was conducted smoothly and with Vivanco\u2019s cooperation. \u00abAll legal formalities were observed, and her rights were read to her,\u00bb said the prosecutor.<\/p>\n

According to the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office, the former justice was taken to police facilities and is set to be formally charged on Monday for bribery and money laundering.<\/p>\n

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Supreme Court Accepted Charges Against Vivanco<\/span><\/h3>\n

This police action is not an isolated incident. It occurred after the Supreme Court accepted charges against Vivanco on January 23, a necessary constitutional requirement for former members of the highest court to face criminal proceedings.<\/p>\n

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The Second Chamber of the highest court, comprising Justices Manuel Antonio Valderrama, Leopoldo Llanos, and Mar\u00eda Cristina Gajardo, along with attorneys Juan Carlos Ferrada and Eduardo Gandulfo, issued a ruling (role 57.330-2025) that paved the way for formal charges. In its decision, the Court deemed that the legal requirements were met and that the evidence provided had the seriousness and credibility necessary to initiate a criminal process with all procedural guarantees for the participants.<\/p>\n

Read the full ruling HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This ruling has formally enabled the Los Lagos Regional Prosecutor\u2019s Office, which is in charge of the investigation, to request an arrest order and formalize the charges. The court emphasized the scope of its decision: \u00abThe pre-trial does not seek to determine facts or culpability but only to verify whether the evidence allows for criminal prosecution,\u00bb concluding that the charges presented had the necessary seriousness and plausibility.<\/p>\n

The Four Chapters of the Accusation<\/p>\n

The charges against Angela Vivanco are structured into four chapters. The Los Lagos Prosecutor\u2019s investigation accuses her of alleged bribery in various degrees and money laundering. The case revolves around judicial decisions linked to cases in which the former justice participated while serving as a Supreme Court minister, specifically concerning matters related to the Chile-Belarusian consortium Belaz Movitec (CBM) and Codelco.<\/p>\n

The core of the accusation states that Vivanco received a substantial bribe in dollars to favor CBM in the midst of litigation concerning a failed bidding process, thereby coercing the state copper company to pay over $17 billion pesos to the consortium.<\/p>\n

According to the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office, in the alleged corruption scheme, lawyers Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos, representatives of CBM, would have made payments to the former minister through her partner, Gonzalo Migueles. All are currently under preventive custody in the Capit\u00e1n Y\u00e1ber annex, facing allegations of influence peddling, money laundering, bribery, and corruption.<\/p>\n

The prosecution specifically accuses the former judge of failing to disqualify herself from participating in cases concerning CBM, despite her connections with the aforementioned lawyers, to expedite the processing of matters favoring the consortium, later laundering the funds obtained illegally.<\/p>\n

The investigation has unveiled a mechanism to launder money and reintroduce it into the formal financial system, involving the suspended property registrars of Puente Alto and Chill\u00e1n, Sergio Y\u00e1ber and Yamil Najle, respectively, as well as money exchanger Harold Pizarro.<\/p>\n

All these defendants have been formalized and currently face nighttime house arrest as a precautionary measure, benefiting from their cooperation with the investigation.<\/p>\n

Formal Charges Against Angela Vivanco<\/span><\/h3>\n

With the arrest now complete, attention turns to the formalization hearing set for Monday. In this session, the Prosecutor\u2019s Office will present the case to the judge and request any precautionary measures they deem necessary for Angela Vivanco. Meanwhile, the defense, led by Jorge Balladares, will have the opportunity to contest the charges.<\/p>\n

Just days ago, Vivanco stated she was \u00abawaiting formal charges and to assert my rights during that procedure (\u2026) I have nothing to give up; if formalization is a procedure that needs a date, that\u2019s what I\u2019m waiting for\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\u00abI am waiting for that date so I can appear in the procedure, and I also requested to testify,\u00bb she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n