Pinochet family fraud case ended

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An appeal court in Chile has dropped a range of fraud charges against members of the family of former military ruler Gen Augusto Pinochet.

Gen Pinochet's widow, daughter and daughter-in-law were alleged to have falsified passports to aid alleged cash transfers to foreign bank accounts.

Correspondents say the decision is a big victory for the family, although other members still face charges.

Gen Pinochet died in December while facing human rights and fraud charges.

Thousands of people died during his rule from 1973 to 1990, and many others were tortured and forced into exile.

'Secret transfers'

The last years of Gen Pinochet's life were defined by his ill health and a series of legal cases against him and his family.

The charges dropped against his widow, Lucia Hiriart, his daughter Maria Veronica Pinochet and his daughter-in-law Maria Soledad Olave relate to Gen Pinochet's alleged transfer of up to $8m into secret accounts at Riggs, a US bank.

The three women were alleged to have committed passport fraud to help the general move money out of Chile.

He was charged with tax evasion and using false passports to open accounts abroad but was free on bail when he died.

A court also stripped him of his legal immunity so he could be investigated for embezzlement of state funds, but no charges were filed.

Several of his other children still face charges over the case, as well as one associate of the family.