(CNN) – The The prime suspect In the 2005 disappearance of an American teenager Natalie Holloway Officials in Peru said he would be extradited to the United States to face extortion and fraud charges, where Joran van der Sloot is serving time for the murder of a Peruvian woman.
Holloway’s mother, Justice and Human Rights Minister Daniel Mourat Romero, said in a statement Wednesday that “Peru has decided to accede to (Van der Sloot’s) request for a temporary surrender” to prosecute Romero in the United States for extortion and fraud.
Van der Sloot was one of the first to see Holloway alive in Aruba 13 years ago. Separately, he was convicted of murdering 21-year-old Stephanie Flores in her Lima hotel room in 2012 and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Van der Sloot, a Dutch national, was indicted in the United States on federal charges of extortion and wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to sell information. About the location of Holloway’s remains in exchange for $250,000, officials said.
Beth Holloway, the missing 18-year-old’s mother, paid $15,000 into Van der Sloot’s bank account in the Netherlands and gave him another $10,000 in person through an attorney, according to the indictment. After he received the initial $25,000, van der Sloot showed a lawyer, John Kelly, where Natalee Holloway’s remains were allegedly hidden, but the indictment says the information was false.
The indictment seeks to order Van der Sloot to forfeit $25,100, including $100 that Beth Holloway transferred to Van der Sloot to settle her account.
Holloway was last seen in the early morning hours of May 30, 2005, leaving a nightclub in Aruba with van der Sloot and two other men.
Three men – van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpo – were arrested in 2005 and released due to insufficient evidence. They were Arrested and charged again In 2007, Aruban prosecutors said at the time that “he was guilty of engaging in the voluntary manslaughter of Natalee Holloway or causing great bodily harm to Natalee Holloway, resulting in death.”
But a few weeks later, an Aruban judge Van der Sloot was ordered released, citing a lack of direct evidence that Holloway died of a violent crime or that van der Sloot was involved in such a crime. Kalpo Brothers and were released.
Holloway’s body was never found. An Alabama judge signed an order declaring him legally dead in 2012.
Van der Sloot’s extradition from Peru to the United States is expected to begin Thursday, said George Seymour, CEO of Patriot Strategies, which represents the Holloway family. Peru’s justice department said he will return to Peru after legal proceedings against him in the United States are concluded.
“The requesting country must detain the defendant during the entire (duration) of the proceedings in its territory,” the Peruvian justice department announced on social media. “Once the criminal proceedings against (Van der Sloot) are concluded, he will be immediately returned to the Peruvian authorities.”
The U.S. State Department would not confirm details of Van der Sloot’s extradition, a spokeswoman for the agency said, “as is long-standing practice” in such cases.
News of van der Sloot’s impending visit to America brought long-awaited relief to Holloway’s family.
“In May 2005 my 18-year-old daughter, Natalee Holloway, traveled from Birmingham to Aruba to attend her high school graduation trip and was never seen,” mother Beth Holloway said in a family statement released Wednesday.
“I’ve been blessed to have Natalie in my life for 18 years and this month, I’ve been without her for exactly 18 years,” the statement read. “She would be 36 now. It has been a long and painful journey, but the perseverance of many is going to pay off. Together we will bring justice to Natalie.
Mountain Brook High School/Holloway Family
Natalie Holloway poses for her senior portrait for the Mountain Brook High School yearbook.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey called the immediate extradition of the suspect to Holloway’s hometown of Birmingham “remarkable.”
“Criminals like her are deceptive and cruel. Alabama moms like Beth Holloway are strong,” Ivy said. Tweeted Thursday. “His admirable persistence in getting justice for Natalie is finally paying off.”
Peruvian news agency Andina reported that Peru has an extradition treaty with the United States and agreed to extradite van der Sloot only after he has served a murder sentence, meaning US officials may have to wait until 2038.
Beth Holloway thanked Peru’s new president and supporters nearby.
“To President Tina Bolavarte, the President of Peru, the beloved people of Peru, the family of Stephanie Flores, the FBI in Miami, Florida and the US Attorney’s Office in Birmingham, Alabama, The. The US Embassy in Peru and the Peruvian Embassy in the United States, my longtime attorney, John Q, who worked tirelessly on this case. Kelly and George Seymour and Mark Wachtenheim of Patriot Strategies,” Thai said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that no one had been charged in Holloway’s death.
