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Wife of Former Chilean Dictator Freed on Bail in Tax Fraud Case


The wife of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet has been released on bail, one day after she and her son were arrested in a multi-million-dollar tax fraud case.

A Santiago appeals court spokesman says 82-year-old Lucia Hiriart was released Thursday because of her health. The Associated Press says she will remain in a military hospital where she was detained Wednesday.

The spokesman says General Pinochet's son, Marco Antonio Pinochet, was denied bail because the court believes he could be a danger to society.

General Pinochet has been under investigation for alleged tax evasion stemming from more than $17 million secretly held in U.S. bank accounts.

He has issued a statement taking responsibility for the actions under investigation. He denies anyone from his family was involved and says he has never defrauded the state.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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