Argentina: Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein's case reopened for million-dollar fraud

Published at: 02/01/2025 04:13 PM

This Thursday, the attorney general of the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, Jorge Nessier, reopened a criminal case involving the chancellor of Javier Milei's government, Gerardo Werthein, for million-dollar fraud.

The case would have been dismissed “surprisingly” and without any explanation by the prosecutor, Mariano Ríos, after Werthein's nomination as Argentine ambassador to the United States (USA).

The investigation focuses on a million-dollar fraud of 84 million dollars, which could amount to more than 120 million with accumulated interest, related to a loan made by the Grinchpun family to the Werthein (W) group in 1998.

Both families had known each other for decades, and in 2012 they signed an agreement to recognize their debt. Leo Grinschpun signed as creditor and Daniel Werthein for Group W, who also include their family members Gerardo, Adrián and Darío Werthein on their board of directors. But the agreement was never fulfilled and generated demand for collection.

The case originated when the head of the affected family, Leo Saúl Grinchpun, transferred assets, including bonds and land from the Cachamai yerba mate factory, to the Wertheins, as specified by the journalist and researcher, Hernán Lascano, in Always Together by Cadena 3 Rosario. In addition, as the debt is not paid off, a recognition of debt is formalized in 2012, which is not fulfilled either.

The situation becomes complicated when Marcelo and Samantha, children of Grinchpun, who died in 2016, sign a debt waiver, supposedly induced by lawyer Matías Escalona, who allegedly deceives them.

Mazo News Team