Offshore Leaks Record

Chile · Pandora Papers

Sebastián Piñera: offshore leaks and what happened next

Investigated, no charges Piñera died on 6 February 2024, and the court dismissed the Dominga criminal case against him on 8 February 2024 because of his death.5

Being named in a leak is not evidence of wrongdoing, and owning an offshore company can be legal. Each record sets out what was reported, the person's response, and what official action, if any, followed.

What was reported

Pandora Papers partners CIPER and LaBot reported a 2010 contract, signed in the British Virgin Islands, for the sale of the Minera Dominga mining project by companies linked to the Piñera Morel family to a company owned by Carlos Alberto Délano, with a payment conditional on no environmental regulatory changes in the project area, Pauta reported.1

Response

Piñera said he did not share the prosecutor's decision to open an investigation, BioBioChile reported, and his lawyer argued the matter had already been judged in an earlier case. His lawyer in the impeachment said it was false that the Piñera Morel family carried out the Dominga sale, RPP reported.1,2,3

What happened afterwards

  1. Investigation opened, Public Prosecutor's Office of Chile (National Prosecutor Jorge Abbott)The national prosecutor opened an investigation into Piñera and Délano for possible bribery and tax offences, assigned to Valparaíso regional prosecutor Claudia Perivancich, Pauta reported.1
  2. Court ruled, Senate of ChileAfter the Chamber of Deputies approved a constitutional accusation on 9 November 2021, the Senate rejected it, as removal required 29 votes, RPP reported.3
  3. Case closed, Public Prosecutor's Office of Chile (prosecutor Claudia Perivancich)The prosecutor closed the investigation and asked the court to hold a hearing for a definitive dismissal, La Tercera reported.4
  4. Case closed, 7th Guarantee Court of SantiagoThe court declared the criminal action against Piñera extinguished and issued a definitive dismissal following his death on 6 February 2024, El Mostrador reported.5

Sources

  1. Pauta, Fiscalía abre investigación contra Sebastián Piñera por Pandora Papers (8 October 2021)
  2. BioBioChile, Piñera e investigación penal de la Fiscalía por Dominga: la causa ya fue conocida y juzgada (8 October 2021)
  3. RPP, El Senado de Chile rechaza la acusación constitucional contra Sebastián Piñera (16 November 2021)
  4. La Tercera, Fiscalía cierra investigación por el caso Dominga y solicita sobreseimiento definitivo (January 2024)
  5. El Mostrador, Expresidente Piñera sobreseído en caso Dominga: declaran extinta acción penal por fallecimiento (8 February 2024)