The scandal shaking the Argentine healthcare system has a name: Ariel García Furfaro, already known as the "Fentanyl Lord." Owner of the HLB Pharma group, he is accused along with his accomplices of manufacturing and distributing contaminated batches of fentanyl that caused more than 100 deaths. The judicial investigation, led by federal judge Ernesto Kreplak of La Plata, and prosecutor Laura Roteta, reveals a web of criminal negligence, cover-up, and corruption that for years was hidden under the noses of INAME and ANMAT, agencies dismantled and politically co-opted during Kirchnerism.
Far from being an accident, the laboratory's internal chats show that executives and employees were fully aware of the risk involved in their operations. In December 2024, when batch 31202 of adulterated fentanyl was manufactured, a technician warned: "That could have easily exploded." The phrase not only reflects the irresponsible handling of expired chemicals, but also the cynicism with which patients' lives were treated.
Before ANMAT inspections, employees received internal alerts: "Hide all expired reagents." The order was clear: hide dangerous chemicals in the rain and sun, preventing inspectors from finding evidence of irregularities. In a chat on March 8, 2025, a photo was even attached of the chemicals thrown outdoors.
The improvisation reached grotesque levels: when an inspection was announced, they painted the peeling walls and hid expired drugs. An employee summed up the desperation: "We're in deep trouble. Well, we'll have to fight through it."
The list of criminal charges
Manufacturing and selling batches 31202 and 31244 of adulterated fentanyl, with at least 20 confirmed deaths.
Disobeying explicit ANMAT orders to withdraw products from the market.
