Former Peruvian presidential candidate and First Daughter Keiko Fujimori starts criminal trial for money laundering

The Third Collegiate Criminal Court started the trial this Monday for former Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori and 40 others accused of money laundering, following allegations that illegal contributions allegedly were received during their 2011 and 2016 campaigns.

The courtroom, made up of judges Juana Caballero, Nayko Coronado and Max Vengoa, recognized each of the accused and the lawyers, all present at the hearing and virtually, as the event was broadcast on the channel’s public platforms.

The first person to speak was Keiko Fujimori, who presented herself as president of the Fuerza Popular Force, and a Lima resident with a monthly income of $3,600. She is also the eldest daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori. 

After her, the former party leaders, Pier Figari, Ana Hertz and Jaime Yoshiyama appeared along with her ex-husband, Mark Vito, and dozens of alleged campaign contributors. Among the accused, there were several others who appeared virtually with court approval for reasons of illness or because they reside abroad.

Peruvian prosecutor José Domingo Pérez asked the court to declare a default against four defendants who were abroad, or absent for other reasons, who did not report to the session despite receiving notice to appear.

Pérez arrived at the courtroom wearing a bulletproof vest, and even requested a legal medical examination for three defendants who requested assistance for health reasons.

Fuerza Popular Force leader Giuliana Loza also arrived at the Lima judicial headquarters with her lawyer, with about 40 people linked to her party and fundraising activities.

Fujimori greeted journalists gathered outside the court but avoided making any statements to the press.

Last Sunday Fujimori said that during the preliminary investigation, it has been shown that “the funds were from prestigious people and businessmen (in Peru), they have shown that these contributions come from licit, legal funds.”

When addressing allegations that representatives of the Odebrecht construction company illicitly contributed 1.2 million dollars to her campaign in 2011, Fujimori asserted that the owner of the Brazilian firm, Marcelo Odebrecht, said that he did not know her and that the former director in Peru, Jorge Barata, also commented that he had “never” approached her.

The Peruvian politician said she feels “strong” about the start of the criminal process but regretted having spent the last 8 years in “a lot of pain” in “arbitrary and unfair” situations, such as the three times she was in preventive detention for this case.