Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo was handed an additional prison sentence in September 2025 in connection with the long-running Odebrecht corruption scandal, deepening one of Latin America’s most prominent political corruption cases.
On 3 September 2025, a Peruvian court sentenced Toledo to 13 years and four months in prison for aggravated money laundering linked to the “Ecoteva” case.
The ruling followed an earlier sentence in October 2024, when Toledo received 20 years and six months for bribery and collusion tied to the Interoceanic Highway project. Under Peruvian law, the sentences are served concurrently, meaning the longer 20.5-year term determines the total time in prison.
The sentence is being counted from April 2023, when Toledo was extradited from the United States to Peru. He is currently held at Lima’s Barbadillo prison, a facility designated for former heads of state.
Toledo, who served as president from 2001 to 2006, has denied all charges and said he will appeal, citing his age and deteriorating health.
The Ecoteva case
The latest conviction centres on a money laundering scheme involving approximately $5.1million in illicit funds linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Prosecutors found that the funds were channelled through Ecoteva Consulting Group, a Costa Rica-based shell company, and used to purchase high-end real estate in Lima, including properties in the Las Casuarinas district and the Omega building.
Part of the money was also used to pay off existing mortgages, in what authorities described as an effort to legitimise illicit proceeds. The scheme involved intermediaries, including Toledo’s mother-in-law and close business associates, to obscure his connection to the transactions.
The broader Odebrecht case
The money laundering charges are tied to a wider bribery scheme involving Odebrecht, which has implicated political leaders across Latin America.
In the Interoceanic Highway case, prosecutors demonstrated that Toledo accepted approximately $35million in bribes in exchange for awarding construction contracts for key segments of the նախագիծ connecting Peru to Brazil.
The court found that Toledo used his presidential authority to fast-track the project and bypass standard oversight procedures.
“Politically motivated”
Toledo has consistently rejected the allegations, describing the cases as politically motivated. During proceedings, he appealed for leniency, citing serious health conditions and requesting to serve his sentence under house arrest.
His legal team has argued for similar treatment to other former leaders, but the court has so far upheld custodial sentencing.
Judge Inés Rojas described Toledo’s conduct as a “breach of duty” marked by systemic irregularities that harmed the Peruvian state.
Anti-corruption organisations, including Transparency International, said the ruling highlights the scale and cross-border nature of corruption linked to Odebrecht.
Political context
The case has reinforced public distrust in Peru’s political system, where multiple former presidents have been investigated or convicted in connection with the Odebrecht scandal.
Toledo is one of several ex-leaders held at Barbadillo prison, which has housed multiple former presidents simultaneously, underscoring the depth of the country’s governance crisis.
His latest conviction comes amid continued political instability, with ongoing leadership upheavals keeping corruption at the centre of public debate.
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