Honduran judge dismisses fraud and money laundering case against former President Hernández
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — A judge in Honduras on Tuesday dismissed the case against former president Juan Orlando Hernández for fraud and money laundering charges, clearing him of any pending charges in the Central American nation. Hernández made the controversial return to his home country in July, four years after being extradited to the United States for his drug…
Honduran authorities have dismissed charges of fraud and money laundering against former President Juan Orlando Hernández, according to a report by the Associated Press. The case, known as Pandora I, alleged that a network of high-ranking officials from 2010 to 2013 misused public funds, distributing over 288 million lempiras ($10.8 million) among various foundations.
The investigation, conducted by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Unit Against Corruption Networks (UFERCO), found that Hernández received at least 62 million lempiras ($2.3 million) for his political campaign through schemes like shell companies, straw men, and fictitious contracts. Despite Hernández's repeated claims of innocence, the judge ruled that the evidence presented did not prove his involvement in the alleged events.
The former leader, who was extradited to the United States in 2022 for drug trafficking, was released in December following a presidential pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump. He had planned to face justice in Honduras but faced challenges regarding the strength of the Honduran judicial system.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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