WASHINGTON: Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo has surrendered to authorities in the United States in connection with an extradition request filed by Lima, reported German news agency dpa.
Toledo, 77, is accused by authorities in Peru of having accepted bribes while in office of US$20 million from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in exchange for public work contracts.
He appeared in a California court in the city of San José on Friday, Peruvian media reported, citing judicial and diplomatic circles.
Peru had issued an arrest warrant for Toledo in 2017 and requested his extradition from the United States, where he had fled after leaving office. He was taken into US custody in 2019 and a protracted legal process followed.
If ultimately convicted, he faces 20 years in prison. He denies the allegations and says he is a victim of political persecution.
The sprawling Odebrecht affair is considered the biggest corruption scandal in Latin America. The US Justice Department said the construction giant paid bribes to individuals in 12 countries totalling nearly US$800 million. -Bernama