by emad » Thu Sep 29, 2005 11:06 am
Chilean judge orders seizure of Pinochet's accounts in US <br> <br> SANTIAGO, Sept. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- All bank accounts held by former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet in the United States have been ordered to be confiscated by judge Sergio Munoz, local daily La Nacion said Wednesday. <br><br> Judge Munoz has appointed two government-employed managers to arrange the transfer of the assets from Florida to Chile, said the reports. <br><br> Munoz has been investigating, for 14 months, a tax evasion caseover the secret accounts of Pinochet and his relatives, mostly in the Florida-based Riggs Bank. <br><br> Pinochet, 89, allegedly accumulated over 27 million US dollars abroad, and judge Munoz said he failed to pay 9.8 million dollars in taxes. <br><br> Pinochet's wife Lucia Hiriart, son Marco Antonio, as well as his private secretary Monica Ananias and several aides during his 1973-1990 military regime were also indicted in the case. <br><br> Companies involved include Ashburton Limited, Althorp Investment Limited, Trilateral International Trading, G.L.P. Limited, Tasker Investment Limited, Abanda Finance, Belview International Inc., Belview S.A., Eastview Finance S.A. and Santa Lucia Trust. <br><br> Judge Munoz also plans to try Pinochet himself after the Supreme Court confirmation of a lower court's ruling that stripped the retired general of his immunity from prosecution. <br><br> The former president is facing criminal charges in another case,known as "Operation Colombo," a joint scheme to cover up the disappearance of 119 dissidents during his rule from 1973 to 1990.Enditem <br> <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/29/content_3561631.htm">news.xinhuanet.com/englis...561631.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br> <p></p><i></i>
