In a Birmingham, Alabama federal court, Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway, pleaded not guilty to extortion and wire fraud charges. Van der Sloot, a Dutch national, is accused of attempting to extort money from Beth Holloway, Natalee's mother, by offering false information about the location of her daughter's remains.
Prosecutors allege that van der Sloot requested $250,000 from Beth Holloway—$25,000 upfront and the remaining balance upon positive identification of Natalee's body. However, the information provided by van der Sloot proved to be false. The alleged extortion scheme transpired between March 29 and May 17, 2010.
Beth Holloway, present at the arraignment, expressed her confidence in the U.S. Attorney's office to secure a conviction. She described the arraignment as a significant step towards justice after 18 years of waiting.
Van der Sloot is currently serving a prison sentence in Peru for the 2010 murder of Stephany Flores. He was temporarily transferred to the United States for this arraignment. The U.S. charges were initially filed in 2010, but his extradition was delayed until May of this year.
