| Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC January 12, 2004 Transfer to Peru of Assets Derived From CorruptionPresident Bush traveled to the Special Summit of the Americas to strengthen the foundations for democratic governance in the region. A key element of the U.S. efforts is to deny safe haven to corrupt officials, those who corrupt them, and their assets. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the FBI, with assistance from the Criminal Division of the Justice Department, forfeited these funds based on violations of U.S. criminal law (illegal transportation across a federal or state boundary of property stolen, taken or converted by fraud, wire fraud, and related money laundering). Forfeiture is a legal proceeding through which the government confiscates property that a criminal obtains or uses as a result of a criminal act. Peruvian prosecutors and investigators provided, supplied critical evidence of the underlying criminal conduct. After deduction of minor costs, the total net assets forfeited were $20,275,911.88. U.S. turnover to Peru of all of the net forfeited property in this case recognizes the importance of close international law enforcement cooperation. The transfer is to the Fondo Especial de Administración del Dinero Obtenido Ilicitamente en Perjuicio del Estado (FEDADOI), which Peru established in 2001 in order to administer returned assets that had been misappropriated during the Fujimori years. Under the agreement, Peru also agrees to ensure public notice and a public comment period on the proposed use of the funds and to give priority consideration to using the funds to compensate victims of the underlying crimes and to support anticorruption initiatives and institutions in Peru.
2004/27
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