Prensa Latina (Latin American News Agency)

March 16, 2006

The New York branch of The Bank of Chile refused to hand over the records of the Pinochet Foundation, which is suspected of having been used by the ex Chilean dictator to launder money, judicial sources reported on Thursday.

In the investigation of Riggs case, there is a parallel relation between the Pinochet Foundation and the Chilean Bank national office, which was involved in the secret accounts and fake companies the ex dictator had abroad.

Due to this, Judge Carlos Cerda, temporarily disqualified from the process, also requested the transactions of the accounts in Chile.

The financial entity agreed to grant the documents which include transactions and deposits.