Former Finance Minister Manuel Chang was extradited from South Africa to the United States of America on Wednesday morning (12). The following day, he appeared for the first time before the district judge of Brooklyn (New York), Nicholas Garaufis. At the hearing, he pleaded not guilty to the three counts of fraud against him. He set bail at one million dollars to obtain provisional release. The judge refused the request, arguing that Chang is an individual with a high potential for flight.

During the hearing, Judge Nicholas Garaufis said that he would like to start Chang's trial possibly in January 2024, considering the period he was detained in South Africa, according to the door. VOAPortugues.

The prosecution alleges that Chang signed the documents that authorized Privinvest to sell the bonds to international investors, including American investors, and that they were never paid for.

Manuel Chang's next hearing should take place next October, when his lawyers will file motions to have the charges dropped.

If found guilty, Manuel Chang could face a sentence of up to 55 years.

Chang allegedly received five million dollars in bribes, and the investigator of the Center for Public Integrity, Borges Nhamire, estimated that the sentence would be equivalent to 11 years for every million in bribes.