The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Costa Rica has opened a criminal investigation against President Rodrigo Chaves and several top officials for alleged influence peddling. The case, filed under #23-000056-0033-PE, accuses Chaves, his advisor Gabriel Vargas, Communication Minister Jorge Rodríguez, and Adilia Caravaca, the executive president of the National Women’s Institute (Inamu), of improperly interfering in two legal cases in exchange for political gain.
The charges stem from a complaint filed on July 25th by businessman Leonel Baruch against the officials, along with his estranged wife Yafit Ohana and her lawyer Ricardo González. Baruch alleges that Ohana’s involvement in creating a TikTok video used by Finance Minister Nogui Acosta to falsely accuse Baruch of tax evasion amounted to influence peddling when Chaves and officials later improperly intervened in Baruch’s contentious divorce and child custody case with Ohana.
The complaint outlines two specific incidents where the officials may have illegally peddled influence. First, undue pressure was allegedly placed on former Children and Adolescents Minister Gloriana López Fuscaldo to rule in Ohana’s favor in the custody dispute being handled by the National Child Welfare Agency (PANI). Second, the Women’s Institute president Adilia Caravaca was pressured to support Ohana in her years-long divorce litigation with Baruch.
Baruch also states that the Women’s Institute took undisclosed actions in Ohana’s favor that coincided with her making six visits to the Presidential House between July and October 2022, including meetings with Chaves himself.
In Costa Rica, influence peddling carries a prison sentence of 2-5 years under anti-corruption laws, with penalties increased by one-third for public officials. President Chaves and his administration have not yet commented publicly on the case. The investigation into the allegations is ongoing.
