The last invoice is dated December 6, 2019, just four days before his assumption as head of state
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A report prepared by the Prosecutor's Office for Economic Crime and Money Laundering (PROCELAC), accessed by Infobae, revealed that between 2010 and 2019, former president Alberto Fernández billed more than $4 million to insurance broker Héctor Martínez Sosa, the partner of his longtime secretary, María Cantero.
The last invoice is dated December 6, 2019, just four days before his inauguration as head of state.
A bond beyond friendship
The relationship between Fernández and Martínez Sosa was publicly defined as a long-standing friendship. However, the PROCELAC report demonstrates a commercial bond sustained for more than nine years. "Héctor Martínez Sosa SA made withholdings under the concepts: Income Tax for work and/or service location, and Income Tax for acting as a trustee, or director of S.A.", states the judicial report incorporated into the case.
Causa Seguros: Alberto Fernández facturó durante 9 años al broker Martínez Sosa
In total, Alberto Fernández issued invoices for $4,257,000 to the broker's company, nicknamed "Hecky". The year with the highest volume was 2019, with $1,422,000 billed, according to the 662-page report.
Contact with other firms in the environment
The former president also issued invoices to Austral Consulting SA, another firm linked to Martínez Sosa. Between July 2014 and December 2015, he received $10,000 monthly, and between January 2016 and April 2017, $15,000.
Additionally, he appears as a provider for Sancor Seguros, a client that between 2011 and 2012 paid him a monthly fee of $37,190.08, net of VAT.
The photos, the presidential baton, and the scandal
On December 6, 2019, the broker was at the Casa Rosada and posed with the presidential baton, crafted by goldsmith Juan Carlos Pallarols. The images, obtained from María Cantero's phone, were released last November and reignited the scandal over alleged favoritism in insurance contracts during Fernández's administration.
Causa Seguros: Alberto Fernández facturó durante 9 años al broker Martínez Sosa
In his statement before Judge Julián Ercolini —who was later replaced by Sebastián Casanello—, Martínez Sosa referred to the personal bond, even mentioning a loan made in 2008 that was never repaid. But he avoided referring to the commercial relationships.
A friendship that ended with cross accusations
The scandal caused a public rift between those involved. In a radio interview, the former president disassociated responsibilities from Cantero: "I doubt she would do such a thing; if she did, I don't endorse it." At the same time, he clarified: "No one will tell you that I asked for someone."
The PROCELAC report, however, accounts for a solid and prolonged financial relationship, which further complicates the former president's position in the case investigating possible irregularities in the insurance market during his term.
