The defendant will leave house arrest following a ruling by the Federal Court in the money laundering case
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Federal Court No. 3 of the city of Córdoba ordered this Thursday the end of the detention that former parliamentarian Oscar González was serving in his private residence. The judicial measure establishes that the defendant will be able to regain freedom of movement once various economic and legal requirements are fulfilled. Oscar González is under indictment in an investigation that tracks an alleged illicit enrichment and aggravated money laundering schemes.
The ruling bears the signature of Judge Miguel Hugo Vaca Narvaja, who decided to depart from the criterion previously requested by the intervening federal prosecutor. While the prosecution warned of possible remaining procedural risks, the judge considered that detention during the proceedings must be exceptional. The decision emphasizes that the current status of the case allows the application of alternative measures that guarantee the accused's submission to the acting court.
Defense attorneys Miguel Ángel Ortiz Pellegrini and Leandro Ortiz Morán based the request on the progress recently recorded in the case file. It was highlighted that the Federal Chamber had requested an in-depth accounting expert report before moving toward a final oral and public trial stage. From this perspective, the judge understood that the presumption of innocence must prevail while the pending technical procedures are completed.
La decisión de la excarcelación fue firmada por el juez federal Miguel Hugo Vaca Narvaja
Progress in the expert report and procedural risks
The formal accusation against the political leader includes offenses whose sentencing range exceeds 8 years of imprisonment, which would prevent a suspended sentence. The judge maintained that the seriousness of the abstract penalty doesn't by itself justify the continuation of pretrial detention without concrete current grounds. For this reason, the court analyzed whether there was a real possibility of flight or of malicious obstruction of the production of the remaining evidence.
Currently, the Corps of Expert Accountants of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation is working on the analysis of all the incorporated asset documentation. For the judiciary, there are no indications that the defendant could interfere in this key expert report processed within the scope of the Public Prosecutor's Office. Once the risk of obstructing the investigation was ruled out, the court chose to impose less burdensome obligations than total confinement in his home.
The Federal Code of Criminal Procedure contemplates a series of restrictions that ensure that the person under investigation remains at the disposal of the justice system without being imprisoned. Among the guidelines established, González must appear in person at the court on the first business day of each month to confirm his local presence. These conditions seek to balance the right to procedural freedom with the state's need to conclude the investigative stage without interference.
Siniestro vial por el cual González se encuentra imputado
Million-dollar bail and travel ban
For the release to become effective, the former legislator must deposit a real bond set at the total sum of $200,000,000 in the court. This financial requirement functions as a performance guarantee to ensure that the defendant doesn't attempt to evade the actions of the federal justice system in Córdoba. The lifting of home custody will only be authorized once the court verifies the deposit of the funds or equivalent assets.
In addition to the bail, the court ordered an absolute ban on leaving national territory and retained his personal passport, which had already been seized. Any unjustified absence from the monthly appearances or noncompliance with the imposed rules will result in the immediate revocation of the current benefit. After being released, González will have the duty to formally declare his actual residence and to commit in writing to submit to all future stages.
The ruling warns that the freedom granted is precarious and depends strictly on the defendant's conduct in response to the requirements of the Criminal Secretariat. With this decision, the proceedings for illicit enrichment enter a phase of technical definitions before deciding on the committal for trial of those responsible. The official experts will be responsible for determining whether the former official's assets are consistent with his recorded income during his public service.
