Former Argentine official arrested after
throwing cash over monastery walls
Send a link to a friend
[June 15, 2016]
By Hugh Bronstein
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A top public
works official in Argentina's previous government was arrested on
Tuesday while throwing what police called "an obscene amount of cash"
over the walls of a monastery, intensifying questions about possible
past corruption.
Officers responded to a pre-dawn 911 call reporting a man tossing
bag after bag into the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic monastery in the
Buenos Aires suburb of General Rodriguez.
Within minutes, officials said, former Deputy Public Works Minister
Jose Lopez was in custody, where he remained on suspicion of money
laundering.
"He has to explain," Cabinet chief Marcos Pena told reporters.
"Lopez managed everything that had to do with public works under the
previous government. This confirms there were enormous problems with
transparency, at least, and at most, serious corruption."
Lopez at one point told nuns at the scene that he had planned to
donate the cash to the monastery, officials said.
Reuters was unable to contact his lawyers.
The case is the latest to focus on figures linked to Cristina
Fernandez, whose second term as president ended in December.
Prosecutors have questioned Fernandez as part of a probe into
possible corruption in her administration. She was succeeded by
former Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri.
Local media reported that $8 million to $10 million worth of various
currencies was recovered. But as of late Tuesday afternoon, Buenos
Aires provincial security chief Cristian Ritondo said the money was
still being counted.
[to top of second column] |
Packets of U.S. American dollars notes in plastic bags in the trunk
of a car are seen in this handout picture in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Argentine Ministry of
Security/Handout via Reuters
"We found an obscene amount of cash at the convent, where neighbors
and even the nuns living there told us that a lot of officials from
the previous government had visited," he said.
"It was in four different currencies. Most of it was in dollars. The
rest was in euros, yen and a currency from Qatar, of which we are
still not sure of the value," he added.
"He was caught red-handed," Ritondo said, adding Lopez had a rifle
with him when he was arrested. "He tried to bribe one of the
officers, and the bribe was rejected."
Officers confiscated six upper-end wrist watches from Lopez, brands
including Rolex, Omega and Tommy Hilfiger.
Asked by a reporter what kind of condition Lopez was in, Ritondo
said: "He's depressed."
(Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Peter Cooney)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|