Argentina's Federal Court of Criminal Cassation confirmed on Friday the seizure of 111 properties linked to former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the 'Vialidad' corruption case, according to biobiochile.cl.
The ruling upholds a previous order from the Federal Oral Court 2 to seize assets to cover damages totaling approximately 685 billion pesos, or about $480 million. The court identified this amount as the total loss suffered by the state.
The seizure includes real estate connected to Fernández, her children, and businessman Lιασaro Báez, who was also convicted in the fraud case, the outlet reported.
In the first phase of the execution, authorities will target roughly 20 properties tied to the former leader and her family. The remaining 80-plus properties belong to Báez and companies involved in the investigated operations.
Asset recovery and legal challenges
Judges rejected defense arguments attempting to halt the seizure. The court ruled that the criteria used to identify the assets are valid, given that the underlying convictions are now final.
The court stated the seizure aims to recover assets tied to corruption and to ensure that benefits derived from the crime do not remain in the hands of those convicted.
The resolution also affirmed that the measure can extend to properties transferred to third parties. This includes assets received via inheritance, as the court found the illicit origin of the funds remains unchanged by such transfers.
Judge Mariano Borinsky issued a partial dissent regarding the ruling. He argued that the court did not sufficiently analyze defense claims concerning properties inherited by the former president's children.
The 'Vialidad' case investigated irregularities in the awarding of public works contracts in Santa Cruz province. The investigation led to Fernández's conviction in December 2022, resulting in a six-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban from holding public office.
That sentence became final in June 2025 following confirmation by the Supreme Court, allowing for the execution of the sentence and the associated economic penalties, according to the report.
