Financial Crime World

In a recent turn of events, a federal appeals court in Argentina announced the reopening of a money laundering investigation against outgoing Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. This development comes as she is set to lose her immunity from arrest in less than a week before she leaves office.

The Latest Investigation: An Overview

  • Vice President Fernández to face new legal challenges
  • Immunity from arrest to be lost in a week
  • Reopening of a money laundering investigation against Fernández

Background: Previous Corruption Conviction and Potential Reprieve

  • Fernández served as Argentina’s President from 2007 to 2015
  • Sentence for a separate corruption case amounts to six years in prison
  • Possibility of house arrest for detainees aged 70 or older in Argentina

New Ruling: Reversal of Earlier Decision

  • Earlier ruling by Federal Judge Sebastian Casanello dismissed Fernández from the money laundering investigation
  • Little-known non-profit organization successfully challenged Casanello’s decision, leading to the appeals court’s reversal

Accusations and Response

  • Fernández accused her opponents of manipulating the judiciary
  • Multiple ongoing legal battles, including a lifetime ban on holding public office and allegations of money laundering involving hotels owned by her family
  • The “K money trail” case is not the only legal struggle Fernández faces, awaiting trial for further allegations, primarily concerning the controversial deal with the Iranian government to cover-up the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center bombing
  • Found guilty of favoring Lázaro Báez in public works contracts
  • Verdict included a lifetime ban on holding public office
  • Several allegations of money laundering involving hotels owned by her family
  • Cleared of charges related to the controversial deal with Iran but has since seen those rulings overturned by Argentina’s highest criminal court