BOLIVIA: Bolivian authorities announce the escape of Jacob Ostreicher, a U.S. prisoner

Record ID: 567051

  • Title: BOLIVIA: Bolivian authorities announce the escape of Jacob Ostreicher, a U.S. prisoner
  • Date: 17th December 2013
  • Summary: NEWSPAPER HEADLINE THAT READS: "JACOB OSTREICHER ESCAPES COUNTRY, IS IN THE U.S." MORE OF NEWSPAPER STAND MORE OF NEWSPAPER WITH NEWS
  • Embargoed: 1st January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Bolivia, Plurinational State Of
  • Country: Bolivia
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA11VWY8EJXS7DHQBPZDCFNW2HJ
  • Story Text: American businessman Jacob Ostreicher, who had been detained in Bolivia for almost two years without formal charges, has escaped back to the U.S., authorities from both countries confirmed.
    Bolivian Justice Minister Cecilia Ayllon confirmed at a news conference on Tuesday (December 17) that Ostreicher left the country via Peru.

    "Jacob Ostreicher has escaped the country. We have the official migration report. He left via Peru. On Sunday he arrived in the United States."
    Ostreicher was arrested in June 2011 following accusations of money laundering linked to a Santa Cruz rice-growing operation in which the New York native was an investor.
    Ostreicher, however, claimed repeatedly the arrest and charges were part of an extortion attempt by Bolivian officials and he was never formally charged with a crime.
    He was imprisoned for 18 months at Palmasola prison.
    Actor Sean Penn interceded on Ostreicher's behalf flying to Bolivia last December to meet with President Evo Morales to ask for clemency in the case.
    The Bolivian government then put fifty-five-year-old Ostreicher under house arrest in Santa Cruz.
    Ayllon said the house arrest plea had been part of the plan for his escape.

    "Now we can see and confirm the whole operation to give him conditional freedom had the objective to help him escape the country. The process against him exists, the accusation holds and undoubtedly, this escape shows this man participated in the crimes he is accused of."
    Ayllon added the operation was carried out by professionals.
    Ostreicher had said government functionaries and prosecutors sold thousands of tonnes of his rice, confiscated his farm equipment, and asked for bribes to get him out of jail.
    Although several Bolivian officials had been arrested in a corruption case surrounding Ostreicher, judges still refused to release him.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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