[JURIST] Embezzlement charges against the widow and five sons of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [JURIST news archive; BBC profile] originally indicted [PDF text, in Spanish; JURIST report] with 17 others [full list, in Spanish] on October 4 were dropped [PDF text, in Spanish] by a Chilean appeals court Friday. Charges against a spokesman and several advisers to Pinochet were also dropped. The charges stemmed from allegations that Pinochet was embezzling 25 million dollars to former DC-based Riggs Bank.

Pinochet died of a heart attack [JURIST report] in December 2006 without ever facing trial on multiple charges of tax evasion and human rights violations. Nevertheless, Chilean authorities began a new investigation [JURIST report] earlier this year to determine whether Pinochet ordered state officials to murder former Chilean President Eduardo Frei Montalva [EB profile] in 1982. AP has more. La nacion has local coverage.