Former El Salvador president Francisco Flores has turned himself in to authorities to face embezzlement and illicit enrichment charges related to a donation by the government of Taiwan.
Flores is accused of embezzling over $5 million of a $10 million Taiwanese donation for earthquake relief efforts in 2001, Corporate Embezzler reported.
Flores, pictured above, was president of the Central American country from 1999 to 2004.
He’s also accused of disobedience for failing to appear at a meeting with a congressional commission investigating the incident.
In May, a court in New York sentenced former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo to five years and 10 months in jail for taking bribes from Taiwan. He was extradited to the United States last year. He pleaded guilty in March to attempting to launder the illegal money through American banks.
Flores turned himself in early Friday at a judicial center in the capital city of San Salvador.
“He presented himself voluntarily to the courts,” judiciary spokesman Ulises Marinero said. “Now we will read the charges against him, explain why he will be held in prison, and explain what crimes he’s accused of.”
He previously fled the country, resulting in Interpol issuing a red alert to locate him.
Flores said he received the money personally from Taiwan and handed it over to the intended state projects.
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A version of this post previously appeared on Corporate Embezzler and is published here with permission.
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