An official in the government of former Argentine president Cristina Fernandez was arrested on Tuesday, as he allegedly tried to hide millions in US dollars and other currencies at a monastery.
A neighbor of the monastery called authorities after seeing a man throwing bags onto the property near Buenos Aires early on Tuesday.
Officers arrived and arrested a man who turned out to be former public works secretary Jose Lopez. Police initially detained him for possession of a .22 caliber rifle.
They then discovered wads of cash as well as watches in more than 160 packages inside the bags. Other money had been taken to the monastery kitchen and some was found in the trunk of a car.
Buenos Aires Province Minister of Security Cristian Ritondo told a news conference that Lopez was “in a state of shock” when he was arrested and said that Lopez tried to bribe police.
“He later told the nuns that police had tried to steal the money that he was trying to donate,” Ritondo said. “There are dollars, yen, euros and a currency from Qatar ... It is a lot of money.”
He did not give an exact amount, because the money was still being counted.
General Rodriguez Mayor Dario Kubar earlier on Tuesday told reporters that authorities had found more than US$7 million at the monastery, which is home to nuns devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, which is about 55km west of Buenos Aires.
The news became a trending topic on Twitter in Argentina. Local television stations showed images of the piles of cash, and later of Lopez being escorted by police to another precinct, wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest.
“It is almost out of a movie,” Argentine Chief of the Cabinet Marcos Pena said. “We are shocked because it is not a minor official ... He led public works, which were so questioned, where we saw so much daily corruption.”
It is “shameful,” Macri said during a public event on Tuesday. “We are all surprised. We are clearly changing and it is good that we shed light on the types of practices that we want to eradicate in Argentina.”
Since Fernandez ended her term in December last year, Macri’s administration has promised to root out corruption that has plagued Argentina. Analysts say that has emboldened judges who are now freer to pursue sensitive cases against the former leader and her friends without fear of retribution. Fernandez has been included in investigations involving allegations of money laundering and possible illegal enrichment.
Lazaro Baez, a once seemingly untouchable friend of Fernandez and her husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, was arrested earlier this year.
The millionaire businessman, who got public works contracts under both presidents, is accused of embezzling and laundering about US$5 million. Prosecutors began looking into Baez after a 2013 journalistic investigation named him as Kirchner’s figurehead in an elaborate scheme.
Prosecutors have also said they are looking into financial transactions at several hotels owned by the Kirchner family in the southern province of Santa Cruz, where Fernandez has lived since leaving office.
“Our most energetic condemnation against the shameful actions of Jose Lopez,” Juan Manuel Abal Medina, an opposition lawmaker, who served as Cabinet chief under Fernandez, wrote on Twitter.
“Corruption is stealing from all, especially those who have the least,” he added.
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