LIMA, Aug. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Peru's former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 15 million US dollars on Monday after convicted of bribery.

    The Supreme Court ruled that Montesinos, while serving as spy chief under former President Alberto Fujimori, used public money to bribe three major TV stations to broadcast reports favorable to Fujimori and repressive to the opposition, local media reported Tuesday.

    Montesinos had previously been given sentences for misuse of authority, peculation and illegal possession of weapons, among other convictions.

    Montesinos, 61, was accused of having formed a large corruption network and collected almost 300 million dollars in illicit money.     

    He fled the country but was captured in Venezuela in 2001 and is facing dozens of charges ranging from corruption to organizing a paramilitary death squad to fight leftist rebels. Enditem