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News > Latin America

Former Argentine VP Arrested on Corruption Allegations

  • The former vice president, Amado Boudou, has denied wrongdoing in the past, but it was not immediately possible to reach him for comment.

    The former vice president, Amado Boudou, has denied wrongdoing in the past, but it was not immediately possible to reach him for comment. | Photo: Reuters

Published 3 November 2017
Opinion

Amado Boudou is suspected of racketeering and money laundering.

Former Argentine Vice President Amado Boudou faces pretrial detention after police arrested him in Buenos Aires on suspicion of racketeering and money laundering.

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Per the order of Judge Ariel Lijo, Boudou, together with his ex-girlfriend Agustina Kampfer, were summoned for questioning before being transferred to the Administrative Criminal Investigations Division, or DIPA.

Lijo ordered Boudou pretrial detention as the court allegedly has reason to believe Boudou has continued to maintain relationships with “powerful actors” which, they say, pose a potential threat to the judicial process and could afford Boudou means for escape.

The former official, who served as vice president to former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from 2011 to 2015, is suspected of racketeering and money laundering on three counts, the 11-page brief presented by Lijo said.

Boudou will be questioned by authorities Friday to justify alleged inconsistencies in his financial records, particularly the acquisition of US$200,000 in property assumed in 2012. Last week, federal prosecutor Jorge Di Lello demanded Boudou explain the purchase of a US$80,000 apartment made for his ex-girlfriend as well as his partner.

"There are indications of an operation aimed at obscuring the origin of the funds with which purchases were made and goods and shares were acquired," Di Lello said.

The former vice president has denied wrongdoing, but was not immediately possible to reach for comment.

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Argentine politician Graciela Ocana claimed the arrest should come as no surprise.

"I see it complicated because, in this case, Boudou cannot justify the goods," she said during an interview with TN. She added that Boudou "used all the benefits of the State in his own benefit, not that of the people."

Four others have also been arrested in connection to the case. His suspected partner, Nunez Carmona, has been charged as the instigator and organizer of money laundering, while Kampfer, Carlos Lopez and Alejandro Vandenbroele are being held on association.

"The association developed its criminal plans, beginning, at least, since August 2009, when Amado Boudou became the National Ministry of Economy and Finance, until December 2015, when his term as vice president of the nation," the statement said.

Carmona is expected to testify in court later today, while Kampfer will testify on Nov. 8. Lopez and Vandenbroele will appear in court on the mornings of November 7 and 9, respectively.

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