Paraguay Prosecutors Charge Deposed President Peña in Bank Scandal

stern.de (German) —

Paraguay's prosecutor's office has filed charges against deposed President Santiago Peña over a major banking scandal, and a judge ordered him into pre-trial detention on Saturday. The crisis stems from Peña's ties to Bank Ueno, placed under central bank administration Tuesday due to capital shortfall, leaving about three million customers unable to access funds. Prosecutors accuse Peña of breach of trust and mismanagement for personal benefit, seeking to freeze assets of him and former central bank chief Carlos Carvallo, who faces similar charges. Peña declined to give a statement, having held shares until last year in a group controlling Ueno Bank. Nearly half of Paraguay's 6.4 million residents hold accounts at Ueno, with businesses, pension funds, and agencies also affected. The Senate removed Peña on Friday after he offered to resign Thursday, losing his immunity; resignation would have granted him lifelong senator status. Peña was a political ally of the Trump administration.


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