Senator Miguel Ángel Calisto charged in Chilean fraud investigation

The Chilean Public Prosecutor's Office has filed charges against eight individuals, including Senator Miguel Ángel Calisto Águila, for repeated fraud against the treasury and subsidy fraud. The investigation, conducted by the Coyhaique Local Prosecutor's Office, alleges that the fiscal damage exceeds 100 million pesos.

The prosecution claims that between 2018 and 2022, Calisto, along with Roland Cárcamo Catalán and Carla Graf Toledo, utilized a fraudulent mechanism involving parliamentary advisory services that were never actually performed. Witnesses, including the Senator's chief of staff and driver, were unable to provide details regarding the work allegedly conducted by Graf.

In response, Calisto's defense team has announced plans to file an injunction (recurso de amparo). Attorney Nelson Salas Stevens argues that the defense's right to a proper legal process has been violated, claiming they were denied access to new digital evidence and testimony provided by co-defendant Cárcamo during the final stages of the investigation. The defense is seeking to review these materials to contest the basis of the prosecution's accusations.