Pedro Pablo Kuczynski served as president of Peru for twenty months, from July 2016 to March 2018. He resigned when it came to light that his company, Westfield Capital, had received payments from Odebrecht while he was a minister. In 2026, his legal situation took two turns in his favor. In May and September, the courts dismissed the cases involving the construction company’s contributions to his 2011 and 2016 campaigns. However, as of October 8, 2026, he remains on trial for money laundering and is barred from leaving the country. This article chronologically outlines these developments and explains what each dismissal means. Details of each investigation can be found in Kuczynski’s case file on Auditoría Abierta.
The short answer: Kuczynski has no convictions, and in 2026, the two most high-profile cases against him were dismissed in his favor. The judges dismissed the cases involving Odebrecht’s contributions to his 2011 and 2016 campaigns because, under the law at the time, receiving money from illicit sources did not constitute money laundering. They did not examine whether the money actually reached him. That is why such a dismissal is not an acquittal. In addition, the Westfield Capital case is still in trial, with the prosecutor seeking a 35-year sentence. The investigation into the IIRSA Norte highway also remains open. Meanwhile, PPK is barred from leaving the country.
Who Is PPK and Why Does His Case Matter in October 2026?
Kuczynski, known as PPK, served as Minister of Economy and Chief of Staff to Alejandro Toledo between 2001 and 2006. In 2016, he won the presidency against Keiko Fujimori by a narrow margin. He resigned on March 21, 2018—one day before the second impeachment vote—cornered by Odebrecht’s payments to Westfield and the “Kenji videos.”
His case matters today because 2026 was the year in which much of it was decided. Two court rulings in four months changed the public perception of the case. Furthermore, PPK is the only recent Peruvian former president without a conviction or a closed case resulting in a sentence. “Bajo Lupa” has already explained the difference between case dismissal and acquittal in its investigation into Keiko Fujimori and the “Cócteles” case. That same criterion was later applied to PPK.
Timeline of the PPK case, decision by decision
| Date | Body | Decision | Level of Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 24, 2017 | Office of the President of the Republic | Humanitarian pardon granted to Alberto Fujimori, three days after surviving the first impeachment attempt | Fact established; no criminal proceedings |
| March 21, 2018 | Kuczynski | Resigns from the presidency following the “Kenji videos” | Proven |
| February 11, 2019 | Prosecutor’s Office | PPK states that he founded Westfield Capital and that the company contracted with Odebrecht | Verified by his own statement |
| April 10, 2019 | Judiciary | Preliminary detention; subsequently, pretrial detention served as house arrest | Proven |
| April 10, 2022 | Judge Jorge Chávez Tamariz | End of house arrest; court appearance with restrictions | Confirmed |
| March 17, 2022 | Constitutional Court | Fujimori’s pardon reinstated | Verified |
| 2025 | Judge Jorge Chávez Tamariz | Authorizes Oral Trial for Westfield Capital; Prosecutors Seek 35 Years | On trial, no verdict yet |
| May 15, 2026 | Judge Richard Concepción Carhuancho | Case involving 2011 contributions officially dismissed | Case dismissed due to lack of grounds |
| September 18, 2026 | Third National Criminal Appeals Chamber | Case involving 2016 campaign contributions definitively dismissed | Case dismissed due to lack of grounds |
| 2026 | Judiciary | Travel ban remains in effect | In effect |
May 2026: The case regarding the 2011 campaign contributions is dismissed
The Prosecutor’s Office alleged that PPK received $300,000 from Odebrecht’s “Caja B” for his 2011 campaign, according to Diario Correo. On May 15, 2026, Judge Richard Concepción Carhuancho ordered the case to be permanently dismissed. According to Infobae, he concluded that these acts did not constitute money laundering as defined by the law in 2011. At that time, the law required actions to conceal the origin of the money; merely receiving funds of illicit origin was not sufficient.
Kuczynski welcomed the decision. “I’m very happy this has happened,” he said, according to Infobae. However, the judge did not examine whether or not the money actually arrived. He analyzed whether the conduct constituted a crime at the time the events occurred. That is the key to understanding this dismissal.
September 2026: The 2016 Case Is Also Dismissed
Four months later, on September 18, 2026, the Third National Criminal Appeals Chamber definitively dismissed the case involving aggravated money laundering linked to the 2016 campaign, according to ABC Color. It applied the same criteria that the Constitutional Court had used for Keiko Fujimori and Ollanta Humala. The offense of “receipt of illicit assets” took effect in November 2016, after the campaign. Therefore, the conduct did not constitute a crime. The Chamber also ordered the expungement of the criminal and judicial records resulting from that case.
It is important to emphasize this distinction. A dismissal on the grounds of non-criminality does not constitute a declaration of innocence. It means that, even if the acts had occurred, the law at the time did not classify them as money laundering. An acquittal, on the other hand, requires a trial to examine the evidence. There was no trial in this case.
What Remains Open: Westfield Capital, in Oral Proceedings
This is the case that PPK has not been able to bring to a close. On February 11, 2019, he testified before the Prosecutor’s Office that he founded Westfield Capital, according to El Comercio. The company advised Odebrecht on Sections 2 and 3 of the Interoceánica Sur highway and on the Olmos water transfer project. Those contracts coincided with the years when PPK was Minister of Economy and Chief of Staff. His business partner, Gerardo Sepúlveda, confirmed this account.
Judge Jorge Chávez Tamariz authorized the oral trial against both men, according to RPP. The Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a 35-year prison sentence for aggravated money laundering and civil damages exceeding US$46 million, according to LP Derecho and Caretas. It alleges that Westfield Capital, First Capital, and Dorado Asset Management channeled payments from Odebrecht-linked consortia under the guise of consulting services. In September 2025, the defense succeeded in delaying the start of the trial until 2026. As of mid-2026, the trial remained in the oral proceedings stage with no verdict, according to Infobae. PPK maintains that the services were genuine.
Cases Still Pending: IIRSA Norte and Other Investigations
The second active case involves the IIRSA Norte highway. According to the prosecutor’s ruling cited by La República, PPK allegedly colluded with Odebrecht to favor the company in that concession. He is charged with aggravated collusion. The case remains under investigation, with no charges filed. Due to cases such as this one, he remains barred from leaving the country. His defense team confirmed this in 2026, according to Diario Correo. El Comercio had reported in 2025 that the restriction was in effect until the end of 2026.
There is also a broader line of inquiry by the Lava Jato Special Task Force. According to La República, the Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of laundering approximately US$3.48 million between 1966 and 2015. It mentions Transportadora de Gas del Perú, Ternium, Tenaris, Odebrecht, and The Rohatyn Group. It describes a “revolving door” pattern between public office and private consulting positions. There is no case file or indictment on record. Nor is there a final ruling on the 2018 “Kenjivideos,” which were submitted to Congress as a constitutional complaint.
The three years of house arrest, in proper perspective
PPK spent three years under house arrest at his home in San Isidro, from April 2019 to April 2022, according to La República. On April 10, 2022, Judge Chávez Tamariz replaced the measure with court appearances subject to restrictions upon the expiration of the legal term. In 2026, PPK described it this way to TV Perú Noticias, according to Infobae: “They sentenced me to three years in prison, but since COVID was coming, they let me serve those three years here.”
This statement requires clarification. No one sentenced him to three years. It was a precautionary measure while the Westfield case was under investigation. It is a proven fact, but not a sentence.
What Kuczynski Says and What His Accusers Say
PPK maintains that Westfield Capital provided genuine services and that no money laundering took place. Regarding the campaign contributions, he hailed the 2026 records as vindication. Regarding the pardon granted to Alberto Fujimori on December 24, 2017, he asserts that he was seeking “reconciliation in Peru,” as he stated in September 2024 following the former president’s death. He has also said that the legal proceedings separated him from his wife for eight years and led to the freezing of his bank accounts.
The Prosecutor’s Office maintains that Westfield was a vehicle for extorting money from Odebrecht while in office. It is seeking a 35-year sentence. Regarding the pardon, PPK’s critics argue that it was payment for the votes cast by Kenji Fujimori that saved him from his first impeachment. This is a documented political accusation, without a criminal trial.
How to interpret this case
Three key points. First: PPK has not been convicted, and his two most high-profile cases were dismissed in 2026. Second: those dismissals do not constitute acquittals, because no judge examined whether he received the money. Third: the Westfield case is still in trial and is the only one based on a fact that he himself admitted. To compare with other former Peruvian presidents, Bajo Lupa publishes the case files of Alejandro Toledo, who was convicted twice, and Ollanta Humala, whose 2025 conviction was overturned.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which of PPK’s cases were dismissed in 2026?
Two. The case involving Odebrecht’s contributions to his 2011 campaign, totaling US$300,000, was dismissed on May 15, 2026, by Judge Richard Concepción Carhuancho. And the case involving contributions to the 2016 campaign, dismissed on September 18, 2026, by the Third National Criminal Appeals Chamber. In both cases, the reason was that the conduct did not constitute a crime under the law in effect at those times.
Was PPK acquitted?
No. A dismissal on the grounds that the conduct did not constitute a crime is not an acquittal. The judges did not examine whether he received the money. They concluded that, under the laws of 2011 and 2016, receiving contributions from illicit sources did not constitute money laundering. An acquittal requires a trial that declares innocence.
What cases remain open against Pedro Pablo Kuczynski?
The Westfield Capital case, currently in trial for money laundering, with the prosecutor seeking a 35-year prison sentence. Also, the investigation into the IIRSA Norte highway project for aggravated collusion, for which no charges have been filed. In addition, the investigations into Techint and Camisea, as well as the constitutional complaint regarding the “Kenjivideos,” remain pending a final resolution.
Why can’t PPK leave Peru?
Because he remains subject to a travel ban due to ongoing legal proceedings, such as the Westfield and IIRSA Norte cases. His defense team confirmed in 2026 that the restriction remained in effect despite the cases involving campaign contributions having been closed, according to Diario Correo.
What is the Westfield Capital case?
It is the case involving payments that Odebrecht made to Westfield Capital, Kuczynski’s consulting firm, for sections 2 and 3 of the Interoceánica Sur highway and the Olmos water transfer project. PPK was Minister of Economy during those years and admitted in 2019 that he founded the company. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of money laundering.
Was PPK imprisoned?
He spent three years under house arrest, from April 2019 to April 2022, as a precautionary measure in the Westfield case. The judge replaced the house arrest with court appearances subject to restrictions once the legal term expired. It was not a conviction.
Why did PPK resign in 2018?
He resigned on March 21, 2018, one day before the vote on the second impeachment motion. The revelations about Odebrecht’s payments to Westfield and the “Kenji videos”—which showed his allies negotiating public works projects in exchange for votes—weighed heavily against him.
Did PPK pardon Alberto Fujimori in exchange for votes?
This is a political accusation, not a legal conclusion. He granted the pardon on December 24, 2017, three days after surviving the first impeachment vote thanks to votes from Kenji Fujimori’s bloc. PPK claims he was seeking reconciliation. The Constitutional Court reinstated the pardon in March 2022.
Sources consulted
- Infobae: Judiciary closes investigation against PPK over Odebrecht contribution to his 2011 campaign (May 15, 2026)
- Infobae: PPK Welcomes the Judiciary’s Decision to Dismiss Case Over Odebrecht Contribution (May 15, 2026)
- Diario Correo: Judiciary closes money laundering case against PPK (May 2026)
- ABC Color: Money-laundering trial against former Peruvian President Kuczynski is dismissed (September 19, 2026)
- RPP: Judiciary authorizes start of oral trial against Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in the Westfield Capital case
- LP Derecho: Judiciary orders oral trial against PPK; Prosecutor’s Office seeks 35 years in prison for money laundering
- Caretas: PPK Succeeds in Getting the Judiciary to Accept Appeal; Westfield Trial Would Be Postponed Until 2026 (September 2025)
- El Comercio: PPK: A Timeline of the Case That Keeps Him Under House Arrest (2019)
- La República: The investigations against PPK and his 3 years of house arrest (April 10, 2022)
- Diario Correo: PPK Will Not Be Able to Travel Abroad Despite the Case Regarding Odebrecht Contributions Being Dismissed (2026)
- El Comercio: PPK Barred from Leaving the Country Until the End of 2026 (June 2025)
- La República: Investigation into the former president’s activities since 1966, Techint, and natural gas (March 7, 2024)
- El Comercio: Alberto Fujimori, the pardon and its revocation: a timeline (2019)
- Infobae: Kuczynski says he pardoned Fujimori to seek reconciliation in Peru (September 12, 2024)
- IDEHPUCP: Anti-Corruption Observatory, Kenjivideos report (November 2020)
This article compiles documented facts and allegations attributed to the individuals mentioned. The mention of an allegation does not imply its veracity, and the position of the person mentioned is stated in each case. Bajo Lupa offers Pedro Pablo Kuczynski the opportunity to respond and will update the text as new information becomes available. Information verified as of October 8, 2026.
Investigative Journalist and Case File Analyst
Guzmán Fajardo Báez is an investigative journalist specializing in the scrutiny of judicial proceedings, the coverage of regulatory frameworks, and the analysis of the administration of justice in Guatemala and Latin America. His career is distinguished by a firm commitment to institutional oversight, examining legal case files, court rulings, and public records to accurately document the exercise of power.
At Bajo Lupa, he is part of the investigative team tasked with untangling legal controversies and high-impact political cases. His journalistic approach prioritizes analytical sobriety, rigorous respect for due process, and the exhaustive cross-referencing of primary sources, providing citizens with a documented perspective free from partisan biases.