The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation confirmed today that the corrupt former president Cristina Kirchner must continue to be investigated in the case known as the "K Money Trail," in which the highest court also upheld the money laundering convictions against businessman Lázaro Báez and other defendants.
The high court dismissed an appeal filed by Cristina Kirchner's defense against the rulings of the Federal Chamber and the Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation that overturned her dismissal in the case, and also accepted the civil association "Bases Republicanas" as a plaintiff in the proceedings.
Judges Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Rosenkrantz, and Ricardo Lorenzetti considered that Cristina Kirchner's appeal was not filed against a final judgment.
Cristina Kirchner, condenada por corrupción.
Meanwhile, the Court also rejected other motions filed by the former president in the same case file. These were challenges brought against Federal Chamber judges Pablo Bertuzzi and Mariano Llorens, and Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation judge Gustavo Hornos, requesting that they recuse themselves from the case. The three members of the highest court rejected these requests because they were also not directed against a final ruling.
The K Money Trail
The case, popularly known as the "K Money Trail," investigates the laundering of 55 million dollars attributed to Báez. The businessman and other defendants were sent to oral trial by federal judge Sebastián Casanello and federal prosecutor Guillermo Marijuán, who convicted them. However, part of the case file remains under investigation. This section includes Cristina Kirchner, to determine whether that money belonged to her.
Cristina Kirchner, condenada por corrupción.
In May 2023, prosecutor Marijuán requested Cristina Kirchner's dismissal, considering that, after ten years of investigation, her connection to the laundering could not be proven, beyond the finding of "the close and direct personal relationship between Cristina Elisabet Fernández and Lázaro Antonio Báez."
Judge Casanello accepted that request and dismissed the former president. Nevertheless, the NGO Bases Republicanas appeared in the case and requested to intervene to argue that "Lázaro Báez and his group acted as front men on behalf of and under the orders of Néstor and Cristina Kirchner."
The magistrate rejected their inclusion as plaintiffs at this stage of the proceedings, but the Federal Chamber allowed their participation and ordered the revocation of Cristina Kirchner's dismissal. Marijuán then had to reaffirm his position.
