The criminal lawyer is known here for representing members of the business and political elite, former government officials, public bodies and entertainment figures.
The downfall of the human rights activist and his partner Leonarda Villalobos and her husband Luis Angulo accelerated when an investigative news outlet revealed an audio recording of them talking to a client about paying bribes in exchange for confidential information.
Since then, the Public Prosecution has launched an investigation that has uncovered a massive corruption conspiracy, the full extent of which is yet to be known.
It is already clear that the Hermosilla law firm was involved in a multi-million dollar transaction between the financial services company Factop and the real estate company Patio, which involved the issuance of false or fraudulent invoices.
The owners of the brokerage companies Factop and STF, brothers Daniel and Ariel Sahuer and Rodrigo Topelberg, are in pretrial detention for these and other crimes.
The same precautionary measure is expected to be imposed on the current defendants, who enjoy a standard of living far beyond their means.
One aspect investigated by the Chilean Attorney General’s Office is the relationship between Luis Hermosilla and Andrés Chadwick, the former interior minister and cousin of the late President Sebastián Piñera.
After the official was removed from office on a constitutional charge, the criminal lawyer transferred 190 million pesos (about $206,000) in funds, apparently as payment for a legal investigation.
In addition, 11 checks worth 36 million pesos (about $39,000) were drawn in favor of the former official.
An investigation has also been announced against a member of the Chilean Supreme Court, Jean Pierre Matos, whose name appeared during the expert opinion on Hermosilla’s phone number.
Defense attorneys will present their case on Monday, and when that work is complete, Judge Mariana Leighton will decide on precautionary measures for the participants while the trial continues.
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