Former Peruvian president arrested in California for public intoxication, officials say

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was arrested Sunday in California on suspicion of public intoxication and was briefly detained, authorities said.

Toledo, 72, is wanted in his home country after being accused of taking $20 million in bribes from Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht while leading Peru. He has denied wrongdoing.

The former leader has been living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Peruvian authorities have been seeking his extradition since 2017. A $30,000 reward has been offered for his capture.

“Mr. Toledo was causing a disturbance at a local restaurant and they had asked him to leave and he refused,” San Mateo County Sheriff’s Det. Rosemerry Blankswade said.

Toledo was arrested near a restaurant in Menlo Park. He was released Monday morning and the charge was dropped, as is routine for suspects arrested on public drunkenness.


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