Belarus Scandal: Former DC Deputy Gabriel Silber Placed Under House Arrest, Charged with Bribery and Money Laundering

Original article: Trama bielorrusa: Exdiputado DC Gabriel Silber quedó con arresto domiciliario total y acusado de soborno y lavado de activos

Gabriel Silber, a former DC deputy and lawyer, has been placed under total house arrest along with national travel restrictions as part of the investigation into the «Belarus Scandal», which examines potential bribery within the judiciary favoring Belaz Movitec (CBM) in a litigation against Codelco in 2023.

Silber faces serious charges of bribery and money laundering. Notably, he is linked to the same law firm as his colleagues Eduardo Lagos and Mario Vargas, who are also under total house arrest in connection with this case.

According to Radio Cooperativa, during Silber’s formalization hearing, both Lagos and Vargas were re-formalized, alongside former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco.

«The court also decided to extend the investigation period, albeit limited to 25 days. Additionally, a new hearing to review precautionary measures and discuss the return of items to the defendants is set for October 7,» stated the report from the broadcaster.

Received Nearly 95 Million Pesos

As highlighted in the hearing, the Public Ministry presented a financial forensic report confirming that Silber received nearly 95 million pesos from the legal advice provided by the law firm to the Chilean-Belarusian consortium, as noted by regional prosecutor Andreas Kusch.

«At this stage of the investigation, various elements pertinent to the charges have been substantiated. We have been able to trace the flow of funds regarding the amounts that Codelco ultimately paid to CBM and from CBM to the law firm of Lagos, Vargas, and Silber,» the prosecutor affirmed.

Read the complete report from Cooperativa HERE
Cover Photo: Mediabanco

Former Mayor of Valparaíso

Previously, as reported by El Ciudadano, state-owned Codelco officially expanded its criminal complaint regarding this case in April, including Silber and fellow former DC deputy and ex-mayor of Valparaíso, Aldo Cornejo, as members of the legal firm «Lagos, Vargas & Silber Legal Consultancies.» Continue reading on this topic:

Codelco Expands Complaint Against Former Deputies Gabriel Silber and Aldo Cornejo for Bribery and Money Laundering in «Belarus Scandal»

State Defense Council Expands Complaint Against Former DC Deputy Gabriel Silber in «Belarus Scandal»

We will continue to provide updates.