The deadline to pay the USD 537 million set as forfeiture for the corruption scheme has expired
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This Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., the 10-business-day deadline granted by Federal Oral Court 2 for the nine individuals convicted in the Vialidad case to pay the forfeiture of 684 billion pesos (USD 537 million) expired.
According to judicial sources confirmed to Infobae, none of the defendants —including Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Lázaro Báez, José López, Nelson Periotti, and former Santa Cruz Vialidad officials— made the payment or partial deposits.
With the deadline expired, the court is authorized to proceed with the auction of the convicted individuals' assets in order to recover part of the funds, as established by the corruption ruling.
Cristina Kirchner's legal strategy
Kirchner y los condenados en Vialidad no pagaron el decomiso y podrían ir a remate
The only submission within the deadline was made by the former president's defense, led by Alberto Beraldi, one day before the expiration. In the filing, the defense requested to suspend the forfeiture, modify the amount, and refer the case to the federal civil and commercial courts.
The motion argues that prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola did not conduct a precise asset investigation that would allow, with certainty, the linking of the assets to the crime for which they were convicted. Cristina Kirchner denied having in her estate any assets that were the instrument or product of the offense, stating that her family's asset evolution "is absolutely legitimate."
Dispute over the forfeiture calculation
Another point of controversy is the methodology used to determine the updated amount of the forfeiture. Supreme Court experts applied the INDEC price index, which raised the figure to 684 billion pesos (USD 537 million). However, the defense's expert calculated the update according to the Central Bank rate, obtaining a much lower amount: 42 billion pesos (USD 33 million).
Kirchner y los condenados en Vialidad no pagaron el decomiso y podrían ir a remate
In response, the defense appealed to the Court of Cassation to review the ruling and challenged the "procedure followed by the court" for alleged factual and legal errors.
Next judicial steps
If the Court of Cassation rejects the defense's motion, Federal Oral Court 2 may proceed with the execution of assets belonging to both Cristina Kirchner and the other convicted individuals.
This measure seeks to recover part of the money involved in the case, considered one of the most significant corruption cases in Argentine history.
