Peru’s ex-president Alejandro Toledo has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison in connection with a corruption scandal

LIMA, Peru – Peru’s former President Alejandro Toledo was sentenced Monday to 20 years and six months in prison in a case involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which became synonymous with corruption across Latin America, where it committed millions of dollars in paid bribes to government officials and others.

Authorities accused Toledo of taking $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht in exchange for allowing the construction of a highway in the South American country. The National Supreme Court for Specialized Criminal Justice in the capital Lima imposed the sentence after years of legal wrangling, including a dispute over whether Toledo, who ruled Peru from 2001 to 2006, could be extradited by the United States.

Odebrecht, who built some of Latin America’s most crucial infrastructure projects, admitted to U.S. authorities in 2016 that he used generous bribes to purchase government contracts across the region. The U.S. Department of Justice investigation led to investigations in several countries, including Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador.

In Peru, authorities accused Toledo and three other former presidents of receiving payments from the construction giant. Toledo has denied the allegations against him.