A United States judge has denied bail for former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo after prosecutors argued he was a flight risk and pointed out officials found a suitcase with $40,000 in cash during his arrest.
Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson on Friday ordered Toledo held pending an extradition hearing on July 26.
Toledo's attorney said the cash was his wife's money and it was being used to pay for their expenses.
U.S. Marshals detained Toledo at his Northern California home Tuesday on an extradition request.
The ex-president is wanted in his home country on accusations of taking $20 million in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
Toledo denies the charges.
He was Peru's president from 2001 to 2006 and has lived in California in recent years.
Local
Celebration & applause outside Fed. Courthouse in #SF, where Peruvian nationals react to judge **denying bail to former Peruvian President #AlejandroToledoManrique, accused of accepting $20 million in bribes. Peru has requested extradition. “We just want justice on every level.” pic.twitter.com/6hBzU4VyMU
— Sam Brock (@SamNBCBayArea) July 19, 2019
