The mayor of Rancagua confirms that he has denounced a young man for extortion

The mayor of Rancagua, Eduardo Soto confirmed having filed a complaint for the crime of extortion against a young man who, in recent years, has paid for the crime of extortion. 39; silver although In conversation this afternoon, with Cooperativa Soto approved the information published earlier by Ciper who reported the action in Justice filed in March 2017, through the intermediary of lawyer Mario Zumelzu .

"The report deals with two issues: a complaint and a complaint that I presented, as mayor, concerning irregularities detected at the Regional Theater, where some people pretend to be m & # 39; involve in inappropriate spending .I am deeply calm and expect the investigation to end, "said Soto in the first place.

"In the other case, specifically, a complaint what p I felt frustrated by a lawyer last year for extortion and the two cases are before the courts, the public prosecutor and we hope that justice will define the situation, "he declared

. Soto replied, "I can not add more, because they are questions of investigation and that the lawyer must refer."

Be that as it may, Soto admitted that " there was a delivery of money", but did not explain why : "This is also part of of the investigation. "

Background to the Inquiry

According to the report of Ciper a notarized document states that a young 24-year-old man – identified as " Javier" – received 18 million pesos in cash in July 2016 because "he provided services to Eduardo Soto", which does not specify.

In addition, in the text note that the young man promised not to put pressure on the mayor through social networks after receiving the money.

In statements to himself Ciper Soto acknowledged that he was paying to "Javier" between 20 and 30 million pesos, "under pressure and out of fear" and exhibited e-mails in which the defendant claims new money shipments, under the threat of giving interviews to the media where he would reveal the details of an alleged "harbadment" suffered by the mayor.

Asked about his relationship with "Javier", Soto told the newspaper that there was a "relationship", but that she "had never had an approach".

The Attorney General's Office in Rancagua is working to determine the volume of the sums paid, if there was extortion and if there was a link between these payments and the sums missing in the municipal corporation .

Testimony of "Javier"

The young man tells Ciper that "lived a hell" because of the persecution he suffered by the mayor whom he met when he was a minor and was part of the Municipal Folkloric Ballet of the municipality.

"Sometime later, Soto would have begun to seek contact with him in an" insistent "manner.These contacts would later have extended to their communications by Facebook and cellphone", criticism Ciper .

About four years ago, the young man moved to Viña del Mar, where he established a relationship with Soto, with requests for money that exceeded one million pesos a month for rent and the interview, a situation that lasted more than two years.

"Javier" recognized that with these funds he made a trip to the United States and later rented a house in the Quilpué commune, and then moved to the Bellas Artes neighborhood of Santiago, thanks to the sponsorship of Soto.

In 2016, Álvaro Lavín offered him 20 million pesos for his silence payment that would be made effective when signing a document in which he pledged not to ask more money to Soto

Complaint for extortion

of 2017, the lawyer Mario Zumelzu filed a complaint for extortion against the young man, document accusing "Javier" to demand a payment of 20 million pesos .

The lawsuit is based on a series of electronic emails, like the one in which it says: " The only way I remain silent and say nothing and book anything, is that tomorrow I deposited in my account view of Santander Bank 4 million and then the first week of February, 4 million … and I remain silent as always, but if this is not the case, This is not the case this time, I will go with everything . "

The PDI's Economic Crimes Brigade (Bridec) seeks to determine the origin of the money, since the monthly rent of the mayor reaches only 5.7 million pesos.

Soto denied that there is a relationship between payments to "Javier" with allegedly diverted funds within the Culture Corporation and the de Rancagua.