A\u00a0court has annulled the indictment of former president Alberto Fern\u00e1ndez in a case involving alleged corruption in the awarding of insurance policies taken out by government departments during his single term in office from 2019 to 2023.<\/p>\n
The Federal Court of Criminal Cassation, the country\u2019s highest criminal court after the Supreme Court, overturned a ruling issued by an appeals court in November 2025 on procedural grounds.<\/p>\n
The ruling was issued by Chamber IV of the court, with judges Mariano Borinsky and Javier Carbajo in the majority and Gustavo Hornos dissenting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The court also ordered the lower appeals court to issue a new ruling.<\/p>\n
The judges based their ruling on the fact that the appeals chamber upheld Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s indictment despite the prosecutor at that stage having requested the case\u2019s dismissal for lack of merit, arguing there was insufficient evidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s defence had similarly argued that his right to due process had been violated, including the failure to hear key witnesses proposed by his legal team. This means there was no adequate evidentiary basis to proceed with criminal charges.<\/p>\n
The Federal Cassation Court also lifted two measures imposed on Fern\u00e1ndez \u2013 an asset freeze of more than 14.6 billion pesos, equivalent to around US$10.3 million at the official exchange rate, and a travel ban.<\/p>\n
However, this is not the end of the veteran Peronist\u2019s legal woes. The 67-year-old former president is awaiting trial over alleged gender-based violence against his former partner, journalist Fabiola Y\u00e1\u00f1ez.<\/p>\n
In the insurance case, Fern\u00e1ndez had been under investigation for the offence of engaging in business transactions incompatible with the exercise of public office, within an investigation into an alleged scheme to steer state insurance contracts towards certain intermediaries.<\/p>\n
The case centres on alleged insurance contracts for various state agencies and departments arranged through intermediaries who charged commissions, despite the policies being available through direct contracting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The case involves policies taken out with Naci\u00f3n Seguros SA, the insurance arm of state-owned Banco Naci\u00f3n, which Fern\u00e1ndez selected to cover government departments against various types of risk. According to the accusation, commissions paid to intermediaries in contracts between public bodies and Naci\u00f3n Seguros totalled around 3.36 billion pesos. Prosecutors allege that H\u00e9ctor Mart\u00ednez Sosa, a broker and personal friend of the former president, accounted for nearly 60 percent of those commissions.<\/p>\n
Under a decree signed by Fern\u00e1ndez himself, state insurance coverage was provided by the insurer of the state-owned Banco Naci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n
Alongside Fern\u00e1ndez, Mart\u00ednez Sosa and wife Mar\u00eda Cantero,\u00a0 the ex-president\u2019s\u00a0 former private secretary, were also indicted, among others. The crimes under investigation in the case include money-laundering, graft and fraudulent administration aggravated by malfeasance.<\/p>\n
Following Wednesday\u2019s ruling, the case remains open. The situation of the other defendants could be reviewed and, according to local media, Fern\u00e1ndez could even be re-indicted.<\/p>\n
The corruption allegations emerged when a court ordered an examination of Cantero\u2019s phone while investigating assault claims lodged by Y\u00e1\u00f1ez.<\/p>\n
Y\u00e1\u00f1ez filed a complaint accusing Fern\u00e1ndez of having beaten her during their relationship, which ended after the veteran Peronist left office.<\/p>\n
The ex-president\u00a0 faces a separate trial on charges of domestic abuse. Fern\u00e1ndez has always denied any violence.<\/p>\n
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\u2013 TIMES\/AFP\/PERFIL<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nrelated news<\/h6>\n<\/p>\n<\/section>\n