Ecuador court convicts former President Lenin Moreno in bribery case

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An Ecuadorean court convicted former President Lenin Moreno, along with his wife and daughter, of bribery in connection with the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant. Prosecutors alleged that Moreno received over $1 million while serving as vice president between 2007 and 2013, part of a $76.1 million bribery scheme involving the Chinese firm Sinohydro. The investigation, launched in March 2023, implicated 20 defendants in using shell companies and fraudulent consulting contracts to facilitate illegal payments.

Consequences

The ruling marks a significant judicial outcome regarding corruption in a major infrastructure project. Following the conviction, the court must now determine the final sentencing for Moreno and the other defendants, for whom prosecutors had requested sentences of over six years.

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