Massive human rights abuses marked Pinochet's 1973-90 rule

Osvaldo Puccio said Lucia Pinochet Hiriart, 64, was detained on Wednesday at the airport two days after the authorities brought charges against her related to secret multi-million-dollar bank accounts held by her father and his family.

Hiriart, her mother and three of her siblings were charged with fraud on Monday, but Chilean police said Pinochet's eldest daughter had left the country by car the same day.

All could face prison sentences if found guilty.

It had been believed, prior to her arrest at Washington airport, that Hiriart was in Argentina.

Pinochet, now 90, and his family are believed to have had $27 million in secret overseas bank accounts in the US, Switzerland and Panama.

Fraud charges

The charges relate to the failure to declare at least $8 million, according to legal sources in Santiago.

Pinochet himself was hit with similar fraud charges over the accounts in November.

Pinochet and family are alleged to hold $27m in secret accounts

All the Pinochets, save the elder son, Augusto, have now been charged over the secret accounts and allegations of tax evasion.

After being charged and put under house arrest on Monday, Pinochet's wife, Lucia Hiriart, and three of their children, Marco Antonio, Jacqueline and Veronica, were granted their liberty while the charges against them are processed.

The family patriarch also faces a barrage of legal challenges, mainly seeking his prosecution, on alleged rights abuses committed under his 1973-1990 dictatorial rule.

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