Peruvian Prosecutor's Office investigates President Boluarte for money laundering as part of a criminal organization and illegal financing

The investigation into payments for the 2021 elections also focuses on former president Pedro Castillo and former advisor Henry Shimabukuro.

Money laundering as part of a criminal organization and illegal financing. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte is being targeted by the Public Prosecutor's Office for allegedly committing these crimes in the 2021 elections. The Peruvian Public Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday that money laundering would be added to the other two.

The First Supraprovincial Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Money Laundering Crimes will collect evidence on possible crimes committed by the Peru Libre party which led Pedro Castillo to the presidency. Former president Pedro Castillo and former advisor Henry Shimabukuro are also under investigation, the ministry said.

The case against Boluarte

Businessman Henry Shimabukuro is under investigation by the Peruvian justice system for his ties with Pedro Castillo when he was still president. Shimabukuro was hired as an advisor to the National Intelligence Directorate in the former president's administration.

The same businessman put the spotlight on Boluarte by assuring that he financed her campaign expenses, according to the media outlet Trome. He also assured that he presented evidence to the prosecutor's office. The president later denied knowing about it, so Shimabukuro went to the news channel Epicentro TV to defend his version of events:

During the second round of the campaign, I was by Dina Boluarte's side at every event she went to. I even took her from one place to another in my car.

He also explained that he covered Boluarte's team's costs on the day of the presidential debate between Castillo and Keiko Fujimori on May 30, 2021:

I paid for the tickets to Arequipa for everyone, for the security team, for the campaign group. And I made the hotel reservation and paid for the meal. The day after our arrival it was Dr. Dina's birthday, so I went to pick up her cake to sing her Happy Birthday.

The local newspaper The Republic exclusively published the hotel bill in Arequipa. The document includes payment for 21 rooms, as well as food and beverages. In total, Shimabukuro supposedly paid more than 3,500 soles.

Invoice published by La República showing payments made by businessman Shimabukuro to the campaign of the Peruvian president.
(La República / Voz Media)

Judicial problems are nothing new for Peru's heads of state. Four Peruvian presidents have gone to prison in the last 30 years: Alberto Fujimori, Ollanta Huamala, Alejandro Toledo and Pedro Castillo.