A federal judge slammed former Argentine president Alberto Fernandez with corruption charges on Thursday. The 66-year-old politician must face trial over shady insurance deals his government made between 2019 and 2023. Judge Sebastian Casanello accused Fernandez of letting his inner circle pocket cash through bogus broker arrangements. The ex-leader allegedly knew his personal secretary's husband was scoring fat commissions on government insurance contracts. Defense lawyers called the decision completely unfounded and promised to fight back hard.
Fernandez stands accused of letting crooked brokers handle deals the government could have negotiated directly. The main broker happened to be married to the president's personal assistant, creating a cozy family business setup. Casanello determined that Fernandez deliberately created conditions that allowed his buddies to get rich quick. The former president denied any wrongdoing when questioned last Friday. Prosecutors will drag more than 30 people into court alongside Fernandez and his secretary.
The corruption scandal exploded during a separate investigation into domestic violence allegations. Fernandez's ex-girlfriend Fabiola Yanez accused him of beating her during their relationship. Investigators stumbled across the insurance scheme while examining the secretary's phone records. The judge froze roughly 11 million dollars worth of Fernandez's assets pending trial. Argentine politics has been rocked by multiple Peronist corruption cases in recent years.
Fernandez stands accused of letting crooked brokers handle deals the government could have negotiated directly. The main broker happened to be married to the president's personal assistant, creating a cozy family business setup. Casanello determined that Fernandez deliberately created conditions that allowed his buddies to get rich quick. The former president denied any wrongdoing when questioned last Friday. Prosecutors will drag more than 30 people into court alongside Fernandez and his secretary.
The corruption scandal exploded during a separate investigation into domestic violence allegations. Fernandez's ex-girlfriend Fabiola Yanez accused him of beating her during their relationship. Investigators stumbled across the insurance scheme while examining the secretary's phone records. The judge froze roughly 11 million dollars worth of Fernandez's assets pending trial. Argentine politics has been rocked by multiple Peronist corruption cases in recent years.
