JOHANNESBURG — A former Mozambique finance minister who has been held in jail in South Africa for practically 5 years was extradited Wednesday to the United States to face a fraud and corruption trial over a $2 billion scandal involving fraudulent authorities loans.

South African authorities stated that Manuel Chang, who was Mozambique‘s finance minister from 2005 to 2015, was handed over to U.S. authorities after his last-ditch court docket effort to keep away from extradition failed in May.

It brings to an finish an almost five-year authorized battle by Chang to keep away from going through trial within the U.S. and be extradited as a substitute to his dwelling nation, the place rights teams have protested that he would possible be handled leniently.

He is accused of receiving bribes of as much as $17 million throughout a scheme that secured loans for Mozambican state-owned firms from international banks and financiers for maritime tasks. The cash was looted via kickbacks and different corrupt dealings, in response to U.S. prosecutors.

Chang was indicted in federal court docket in New York over his involvement within the scheme, which U.S. authorities allege defrauded American and worldwide buyers.

The loans totaling $2 billion had been supposed for the acquisition of fishing vessels and naval patrol boats and different assets to assist Mozambique’s fishing business, nevertheless it’s alleged that by no means occurred.

“The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services confirms that the Republic of South Africa’s law enforcement agencies successfully surrendered Mr. Manuel Chang to the United States of America on July 12, 2023,” the ministry stated.

The scandal brought on a monetary disaster in Mozambique when the International Monetary Fund withdrew its help for the nation after the so-called “hidden debts” had been revealed in 2016.

Chang was arrested on the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg in 2018 on a U.S. warrant.

The Mozambican authorities’s personal makes an attempt to have him face trial in Mozambique have been dismissed by a number of South African courts.

In 2021, Swiss financial institution Credit Suisse agreed to pay not less than $475 million to British and American authorities to settle bribery and kickback allegations stemming from their involvement with the corrupt loans.

At least 10 individuals have already been convicted and sentenced to jail by a Mozambican court docket over the scandal, together with Ndambi Guebuza, the son of former Mozambican president Armando Guebuza. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail for receiving as much as $33 million from the corrupt deal.

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