Mom Corazón Scandal: Prosecutors request three and a half years in prison for Andrea del Boca

Actress Andrea del Boca faces a request for three and a half years in prison for alleged fraud in the state financing of the telenovela Mamá Corazón, a production that was never broadcast.

The request was made by federal prosecutor Fabiana León, who considered her a "necessary participant" in a scheme to defraud the public administration. The oral trial is taking place at Federal Oral Court No. 7.

The defendants and the prosecution's request

The prosecutor also targeted former Minister of Federal Planning, Julio De Vido, whom she identified as the main perpetrator of the fraud and for whom she requested four and a half years in prison, in addition to permanent disqualification from holding public office.

Another individual identified was Carlos Ruta, former rector of the National University of San Martín (UNSAM), for whom she requested four years in prison as a "necessary participant."

The closing argument included other defendants, among them Maximiliano Schwerdtfeger, secretary of UNSAM, and former Kirchnerist officials Luis Vitullo, Alberto García, and Nahuel Billoni Ahumada. For all of them, the prosecution demanded prison sentences and the joint restitution to the State of US$ 3,126,000.

Andrea del Boca's defense

The actress's lawyer, Juan Pablo Fioribello, stated that the proceedings made it possible to demonstrate his client's innocence. According to his explanation, all witnesses testified that the telenovela was indeed produced and that it was not a fictitious project.

"One hundred percent of the production was delivered, but it was not aired because Andrea's contract did not include broadcasting, only the delivery of the content," he maintained. He also highlighted an expert report from the Supreme Court that, according to him, did not detect any irregularities or misappropriation of funds.

A financing scheme under suspicion

The judicial investigation analyzed a financing circuit that involved the Ministry of Planning and UNSAM. According to the prosecution, it was a triangulation scheme that favored the production company A+A Group, owned by Del Boca, without bidding or price competition.

The contract granted the company exclusive international marketing rights for 60 months, extendable for another 60, even though the project had been fully financed with public funds.

The case came to light in 2016 following a journalistic investigation that revealed payments of more than $24 million to the production company. In 2018, Judge Sebastián Ramos indicted De Vido, Del Boca, and Ruta, and ordered multimillion-dollar asset freezes.

The background of the "Mamá Corazón" case

The series was never broadcast. However, Del Boca's production company reportedly received 76% of the contract, while other productions financed under similar conditions received only 7%.

The total amount planned amounted to $36.58 million,plus an additional 10% profit for the production company, in addition to exclusivity abroad. Financing was suspended after the change of government in 2015, during Mauricio Macri's administration.

In subsequent stages, the Federal Chamber confirmed the indictments and asset freezes. Judges Martín Irurzun and Leopoldo Bruglia pointed out that the irregularity was not the agreement with UNSAM itself, but its use to evade controls and divert public funds.

From the beginning of the case, the actress's defense denied that there was any economic harm or overbilling. Now it will be Federal Oral Court No. 7 that must issue a verdict.