Brooklyn’s Jacob Ostreicher granted house arrest in Bolivia
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — A Bolivian judge on Tuesday released a New York businessman and granted him house arrest after he was jailed for 18 months without charge despite strong evidence that he was fleeced and extorted by corrupt prosecutors.
Jacob Ostreicher hugged his wife and his lawyers after hearing the judge’s ruling. The 54-year-old American will now be under house arrest while the authorities finish investigating his money laundering case.
Ostreicher was never charged with any crime, and the people who led his prosecution, including the No. 1 legal adviser in the Interior Ministry, are now themselves in jail, accused of belonging to a shakedown ring that authorities say preyed on people deemed to have deep pockets.