Officials said that the Dutch man suspected for years of being involved in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Hollay in 2005 is likely to be handed over to U.S. custody and face fraud charges.
Joran van der Sloot, a prisoner from Piedras Gordas, arrived at Callao’s Jorge Chavez International Airport on Thursday.
He is about to be handed to U.S. authorities for his arrest in Alabama.
Holloway’s disappearance from 18 years ago has long puzzled authorities both in Aruba as well as the United States. Peruvian authorities revealed that they would be handing him to American authorities last month.
Holloway, 18, was on vacation in Aruba with her classmates, celebrating their graduation , when she disappeared May 30, 2005. She has not been seen since. She was last seen getting in a car with van der Sloot and two men.
Although Holloway has not been found, an Alabama probate court has declared her legally deceased.
Van der Sloot, who was initially arrested for Holloway’s disappearance , was later released because of a lack of evidence.
Van der Sloot was indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and exortion in the Northern District Alabama, even though he has not been charged with kidnapping or killing in the Holloway Case.
He is accused of lying about Natalee to her mother Beth Holloway and stealing $25,000 in exchange for the information.
According to the 2010 indictment , “This information was false, as the defendant then knew,”. Indictment added later that van der Sloot had “confirmed via e-mail the information that he provided regarding Natalee Holloway as ‘worthless’.”
Van der Sloot spent more than 10 years in prison in Peru after being convicted of the murder of 21-year-old business student Stephany Flores in a Lima Hotel room on May 30 2010.
He is said to have attacked Flores when she examined his laptop and discovered that he had a connection with Holloway’s missing.
This story is in progress. Please check back often for updates.
