Pinochet's wife, son 'booked' in tax evasion trial

The wife and younger son of former dictator General Augusto Pinochet were ‘booked’ and face charges of being accomplices in an alleged massive tax evasion scheme, local media reported today.

According to the reports, Lucia Hiriart, 82, was privately ‘booked’ on today, while Marco Antonio Pinochet, 48, underwent the legal procedure last Friday.

Both tried to delay the booking procedure, which includes fingerprinting and the taking of pictures, but the deadline expired today and failing to appear could have led to their arrest.

They remain free on bail after being indicted on Aug. 11 on charges of complicity with the 89-year-old former dictator in evading taxes on the multimillion dollar bank accounts he has abroad.

Pinochet was stripped of his immunity from prosecution in the case, but the Supreme Court ordered that he undergo medical tests to determine whether his health allows him to be tried.

It is the first time Pinochet may be tried on corruption related charges.

He has been indicted four times in the past on charges related to human rights violations during his 1973-90 regime, but the courts blocked his trial on health grounds. He has been diagnosed with a mild case of dementia resulting from several strokes. In addition, he has a pacemaker and suffers from diabetes and arthritis.

The local internal revenue service accuses Pinochet of failing to pay taxes on nearly $US28m in banks in the US and other countries.

The investigation into Pinochet’s fortune also seeks to determine the source of the money, which his lawyers and associates say is legitimate, resulting from savings, investments and donations.

A judge, however, has linked at least part of the money to the use of public funds for personal benefit and commissions from arms sales during his reign.