Former Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori made her court debut on Monday to start her trial amid allegations that she collected illegal money from local businesses and a Brazilian construction corporation. She could spend up to 30 years behind bars if found guilty.
Prosecutors have been looking into the politician for almost ten years. She is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori. She is accused of money laundering and of being the head of a criminal organization that collected donations for her 2011 and 2016 election campaigns.
Presently leading the powerful Popular Force party, Keiko Fujimori showed up at the courtroom with her attorney and the other defendants in the trial, which is being televised. Former party members and officials are among the more than forty other defendants.
She had previously denied the allegations and claimed to be innocent.
Prosecutors claim that Popular Force was used to get almost $17 million in illicit payments from a number of donors, including the Peruvian financial holding company Credicorp and the Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht, which changed its name to Novonor in 2020.
According to the prosecutor's office, the source of this money — which was utilized for both personal gain and political campaigns — had been concealed from the electoral authorities.
49-year-old Keiko Fujimori has made three bids for the presidency of the Andean nation. She ran for office again in 2021, losing to socialist Pedro Castillo, who attempted to dissolve Congress illegally and was ultimately impeached and sent to prison at the end of 2022.
According to Giulliana Loza, Fujimori's attorney, the trial, which will include 2,000 witnesses from the prosecution and defense, may drag on for years. She recently said there is a high probability that it will continue until 2026, which coincides with the nation's upcoming general election.
In connection with the matter, Fujimori has been placed in pre-trial prison twice due to tax inquiries. The first instance occurred in October 2018–November 2019 and the second in January–May 2020.
Alberto Fujimori, her 85-year-old father, was given a 25-year prison sentence in 2007 for violating human rights while serving as president from 1990 to 2000.
Following a contentious humanitarian pardon, he was freed in December and has since rejoined his daughter's political party.
