Amid a controversy shaking the Argentine entertainment world for a few days, the disgraceful host Tomás Méndez showed on his program TLN Denuncia a supposed official judicial file with names of several entertainment figures, accused in a human trafficking complaint. The presentation occurred simultaneously with Viviana Canosa's statement in Comodoro Py, and it caused a true media scandal.
One of the names mentioned was that of actress Florencia Peña, who quickly came forward to deny any link to the case she is being charged with. Her lawyer, Fernando Burlando, assured in television statements that Peña doesn't appear on any official list, and journalist Juan Manuel Dragani, Canosa's legal representative, also confirmed it.
Tomás Méndez y el expediente judicial
In response to criticism for spreading names without showing solid evidence, Méndez replied energetically: "They force me to show the evidence," he said at the start of his program. Then, he displayed what would be an official document with the signature of prosecutor Carlos Stornelli, in which names of figures like Lizy Tagliani, Jey Mammón, Elizabeth Vernaci, and Damián Betular, among many others, appear in said document.
The text read on the program mentions that all the accused "allegedly took advantage of their fame" to commit alleged crimes, including the supply of drugs and participation in illegal parties with minors. In an especially delicate and controversial fragment, it is stated that Peña and Vernaci would organize events where teenagers were recruited, although no concrete evidence was presented to support such accusations.
So far, the Justice has not confirmed the existence of a formal investigation or the validity of the document shown on air. Therefore, all those mentioned remain protected under the presumption of innocence principle, as established by law.
The case generates strong repercussions both in the media and on social networks, where many call for caution given the seriousness of the accusations. Meanwhile, it is expected that the Justice will speak out to clarify the facts and determine the truthfulness of the accusations.
