Chilean judge orders seizure of Pinochet's accounts in US

[emad]

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.

Judge Munoz has appointed two government-employed managers to arrange the transfer of the assets from Florida to Chile, said the reports.

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.

Pinochet, 89, allegedly accumulated over 27 million US dollars abroad, and judge Munoz said he failed to pay 9.8 million dollars in taxes.

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.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/29/content_3561631.htm

[John Q. Citizen]

1. This is good news!