Ecuador court jails ex-President Moreno 5 years in dam bribery case
What's new: Prosecutors said Sinohydro paid $76.1 million in bribes tied to the Coca Codo Sinclair project, with Moreno barred from future office.
An Ecuadoran court convicted former President Lenin Moreno in a bribery case tied to the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant and sentenced him to five years in prison. The ruling also permanently bars Moreno, 73, from holding public office. BBC reported he will serve the sentence under house arrest because of his age and disability and plans to appeal. Prosecutors said Sinohydro funneled about $76.1 million in bribes between 2009 and 2018 through shell companies and consulting contracts to secure work on the dam. Investigators alleged Moreno's family and associates benefited while he was vice president. His wife, daughter, brothers and sisters-in-law were also convicted, along with former Chinese ambassador Cai Runguo.