Chile - July 2025

On 22 July, a civil court in Santiago ruled that the heirs of former dictator Augusto Pinochet must return USD 16 million to the Chilean state. The case builds on a 2018 Supreme Court ruling—known as the ‘Riggs case,’ after the bank that helped conceal millions in embezzled assets—that determined Pinochet had diverted public funds and hidden them in offshore accounts. The new judgment states that his heirs benefited from this illicit money and are therefore responsible for returning it to the state. Pinochet was prosecuted in 2005 for the funds but never served prison time, as he died in 2006 before a conviction was secured. The new ruling affects more than 15 members of the Pinochet family and could still be appealed. Experts have praised the decision, saying it represents the first attempt to repair the significant material damage caused by Pinochet’s de facto administration through the misappropriation of public funds.

Sources: El Pais, Radio Chile, Pagina 12