Pedro Castillo

Pedro Castillo, who served as president of Peru from July 2021 until December 2022, faced multiple investigations for corruption, fraud, and influence peddling during his tenure. In November 2025, a Supreme Court tribunal sentenced Castillo to 11 years, 5 months, and 15 days in prison for conspiracy to commit rebellion. The court found that on December 7, 2022, Castillo usurped power by attempting to dissolve Congress and interfere with the judiciary in a failed self-coup. The sentence includes a two-year disqualification from holding public office and requires him to pay, alongside co-defendants, S/12 million (approximately US$3.1 million to US$3.55 million) in civil reparations. Before his removal and arrest, Castillo was subject to at least six investigations. Key allegations included: Criminal organization, collusion, and influence peddling: Prosecutors accused Castillo of leading a network within the Ministry of Transport and Communications that allegedly awarded the Tarata bridge contract to companies in exchange for bribes. Similar investigations involved alleged corruption in the Ministry of Housing and Construction regarding $8.6 million in contracts, as well as alleged interference in state-owned oil company PetroPerú dealings. Military promotions: Castillo was investigated for allegedly heading a group that pressured military and air force officials to irregularly promote specific personnel. Obstruction of justice: Prosecutors investigated his removal of the Interior Minister, alleging it was intended to halt investigations into presidential allies. Academic fraud: He faced an investigation following reports that he and his wife plagiarized over half of their 2012 master's thesis. Castillo consistently denied these allegations, characterizing them as political persecution. Following his arrest on December 7, 2022, he was detained at Barbadillo Prison. While he was initially also accused of sedition and high treason, his conviction focused on conspiracy to commit rebellion.