The Peruvian prosecutor’s office on Wednesday proceeded to confiscate three watches and a bracelet, at the heart of a scandal involving President Dina Boluarte, who claims that these items were “loaned” to her.

“The prosecuting authority decided to proceed with confiscation, without a court order. The argument is that these items could be lost,” Umberto Avando, a lawyer for the governor of the Andean province of Ayacucho, Wilfredo Oscorima, who allegedly lent the luxury items to Ms. Boluarte, told the press.

The head of state is now facing an “unlawful enrichment” investigation after she was photographed wearing the expensive watches at the heart of the scandal dubbed “Rolex-gate” by the press.

Last week, he testified to prosecutors that he made a “mistake” by accepting the watches from the prefect’s “boyfriend” of Ayiacoutso, adding that he has since returned them to him.

The watches and bracelet were seized during their court appearance, according to Mr. Avando.

The scandal erupted on March 15 when a news website began posting photos showing Ms. Boluarte wearing the luxury watches while in government between 2021 and 2022. Her home in a suburb of the capital and the presidential office were searched by police and prosecutors as part of the investigation on March 30. No watch found.

Even if criminal charges are brought against her, the president, by virtue of the Constitution, will not be tried until after July 2026, or else after her term ends.

Ms. Boluarte, 61, was already facing a much more serious indictment of “genocide,” “serial murder with aggravating circumstances” and “causing grievous bodily harm” over the deaths of more than 50 people and the injuries of hundreds in the months-long riots that followed her inauguration in December 2022.

She became Peru’s interim president following the suspension of Congress and the arrest by police that month of her predecessor Pedro Castillo, elected with a party of the radical left, of which she was vice president.

After she took office, four suspension and removal proceedings were initiated against Ms. Boluarte. However, none of them came up for debate in the plenary session of the Peruvian national delegation, where right-wing and far-right parties dominate, which support it.