Legal Representatives of Codelco Declare: «This is an Unprecedented Case of Public Corruption» Amidst the ‘Bielorrusa’ Scandal

Original article: “Este es un caso de corrupción pública sin precedentes”: Abogados Codelco por caso “Bielorrusa”

Codelco Lawyers on Corruption and Money Laundering Case: «The Evidence is Overwhelming»

In a public statement, CODELCO lawyers Julián López Masle and Carolina Sepúlveda Varela addressed the decisive judicial ruling that mandated preventive detention for all suspects involved in a serious corruption investigation. This ruling, described as «extraordinarily compelling,» asserts that «the specter of corruption within the judiciary has ceased to be just a specter and has become a reality with this case.» The court emphasized that the defendants «have mocked the entirety of the nation,» justifying the precautionary measure based on the risk to societal safety and the success of the investigation into bribery, corruption, and money laundering.

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The core of the case, as outlined in the statement, lies in the existence of a «criminal association» involving two lawyers, a court minister, and an intermediary who conspired to harm CODELCO and all Chileans through «spurious judicial resolutions.» This network, characterized as a scheme of «outright corruption,» aimed at trafficking influences to enrich themselves illicitly, resulting in a financial damage exceeding 20 million dollars. The legal representatives emphasized that this represents «the most severe assault on the credibility of our justice administration system,» with the evidence being deemed overwhelmingly strong by the court.

The lawyers highlighted that this unprecedented case exposes a network of connections designed to exchange favors and engage in fraudulent payments, actions that have been labeled as unacceptable and a direct assault on public trust.

For all details of the statement, the complete document is available for review below.

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PUBLIC STATEMENT

Codelco Lawyers, November 15, 2025

Julián López Masle – Carolina Sepúlveda Varela

• The judge stated that the specter of corruption within the judiciary has no longer remained just a specter and has become a reality through this case. The ruling has been extraordinarily compelling. The court has asserted that the defendants have mocked an entire nation.

• The preventive detention was granted for all charges of bribery, corruption, and money laundering attributed by the Prosecutor’s Office, considering the severity of the facts justified the measure as a danger to societal safety and the success of the investigation.

• Codelco has actively pursued and will continue to collaborate with this investigation as it is committed to probity and the rule of law.

• The backbone of this case is the existence of a criminal association between two lawyers, a minister, and an intermediary, who conspired to harm Codelco and all Chileans through spurious judicial resolutions.

• This reality was confirmed by the court when it ordered the preventive detention of the defendants. We are witnessing a corrupt relationship between lawyers and a minister who trafficked influences for illicit enrichment. The evidence is overwhelming.

• The court’s decision is a very positive sign, reinforcing the gravity of the facts and backing the seriousness of the investigation’s findings.

• This is an unprecedented case of public corruption. The defendants created a criminal association, a network of connections aimed at exchanging favors and fraudulent payments that adversely affected Codelco and all Chileans by more than 20 million dollars.

• This is unambiguous, outright corruption, and it must be stated as such. Corruption that severely harmed the judicial system and public trust.

• This is the gravest assault ever perpetrated against the credibility of our justice administration system, with the key figures being two lawyers and a court minister, the very individuals who pledged to practice law faithfully and uphold the Constitution and laws. The network they built and the crimes they committed represent an attack on the very core of our system. These behaviors are unacceptable.

• This is a scandalous plot involving judicial influence trafficking, massive and fraudulent monetary transfers, and the commission of serious crimes such as bribery, corruption, and money laundering. The evidence is overwhelming, and this has been affirmed by the court.