La Derecha Diario Eight convicted for repeated fraud involving land sales in Calamuchita
A gang had been formed to deceive buyers and usurp land in several tourist locations
A criminal organization was convicted of selling usurped land in towns in the Calamuchita Valley, in the interior of Córdoba. The court found that they acted systematically, deceiving buyers with forged documents and well-planned schemes. The case began in 2023, after multiple raids exposed the group's activities.
The land was illegally occupied, cleared, and put up for sale as if it belonged to the fraudsters. Many buyers believed they were acquiring legitimate properties, when in reality they were victims of a structured fraud. The operation extended through highly sought-after areas of Calamuchita, such as Santa Rosa and Cerro de Oro.
The case was investigated by prosecutorPaula Bruera, who managed to bring thirteen people linked to these schemes to trial. The Criminal Court of Río Tercero convicted eight of them for illicit association, usurpation, and repeated fraud. The case was closed through a summary procedure, with prison sentences and financial compensation.
The sentences and those involved
The events took place between July 2021 and August 2023, mainly in Santa Rosa de Calamuchita and neighboring areas. Carlos Mauricio Rodríguez, owner of a construction company, received a three-year prison sentence as co-author of illicit association and usurpation. Simón Guizzardi, a bricklayer, was sentenced to three years and four months for his role in usurpations and at least four frauds.
Martín Luján, a salesman, received the same sentence for his participation in the aforementioned crimes along with Rodríguez and Guizzardi. Auctioneer Mario Perea and car salesman Matías Nievas Tissera were also sentenced to three years in prison. Eduardo Picca, meanwhile, received a two-year and nine-month suspended sentence for forging documents and committing fraud.
María Mangino was sentenced to a one-year and nine-month suspended sentence as co-author of four frauds in Santa Rosa de Calamuchita. Armando Garro received a six-month suspended sentence for his participation in one of the investigated fraud schemes. In addition, probation was granted to José Carrozza and Omar Montoya for isolated incidents that occurred in 2021 and 2022 in that region.
The modus operandi of the illicit association
Prosecutor Paula Bruera explained that the group would usurp land, clear it, and then simulate legal possession in order to sell it. One of the victims was deceived with fake boundary markers, key documents to create the appearance of long-term possession. The operation also included posts on social media and signs, which attracted good-faith buyers.
One of those convicted identified land with debts or in abandonment, which was then put up for sale after being usurped. The money from the frauds was funneled through a bank account and distributed among the members of the criminal group. Each member had a specific role in the scheme, from forging documents to falsely representing owners.
Among those involved were a surveyor, a public auctioneer, and a man who pretended to be a justice of the peace.They even pretended to be heirs or former owners to support the supposed origin of the land's ownership. This way, they managed to close deals, causing serious harm to the real owners and unsuspecting buyers.
The impact in Calamuchita and the background of the case
The initial complaint was filed by heirs of a subdivision in Santa Rosa and made it possible to open a case that was later expanded. Many of the lots offered were located in Cerro de Oro, a highly sought-after area near Route 5 in Calamuchita. The scandal exposed how land was systematically marketed without valid documents or real ownership.
Those convicted were from Santa Rosa, Villa del Dique, Berrotarán, and Villa Santa Ana, which extended the case regionally. The trial concluded through a summary procedure: the defendants acknowledged their responsibility and agreed to the sentences. Bruera emphasized that in addition to the convictions, there was financial compensation for the numerous victims of these schemes.
The prosecution stressed that the group acted with knowledge of legal procedures and had defined roles to carry out the frauds. The impact of the case was significant in the Calamuchita Valley, given the growing real estate demand in that area. The case, which began with thirteen detainees in 2023, ended with eight final convictions and two suspended trials.
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