Federal Oral Court No. 2 of Córdoba has initiated proceedings for the old fraud case in the Luz y Fuerza union. Former general secretaries Jorge Molina Herrera and Gabriel Suárez are accused of having diverted millions from the union to personal accounts. The case investigates irregular financial maneuvers carried out between 2012 and 2018.
According to Procelac and the Financial Information Unit, the leaders used checks made out to third parties with no commercial activity. The funds were cashed and then reintegrated into private circuits linked to the union leadership. The operations caused serious financial damage to the members and the common fund.
The court is composed of judges José Asís, Noel Costa, and Carolina Prado, while chief prosecutor Carlos Casas Nóblega is leading the prosecution. There are a total of nine defendants, including relatives and associates of the former leaders. The hearings will continue on November 4, 10, and 13.
Embezzlement and money laundering
According to accounting expert reports, Molina Herrera allegedly laundered more than $13.5 million by purchasing casino chips, exceeding his declared income. Suárez was identified for acquiring properties through trusts and intermediary companies, without clear economic justification. Both allegedly acted with the complicity of the union's administrative staff.
The prosecution keeps that the fraud was not isolated, but part of a scheme sustained over years. The embezzlement affected the operation of the Compensatory Fund, which was supposed to guarantee benefits to retirees from Epec and affiliated workers. In 2018, payments from the fund were suspended due to lack of resources.
