MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Fernandez former Transport minister indicted for unlawful enrichment

Former Secretary Ricardo Jaime and his friend Nestor Kirchener

Argentine presidential couple Nestor and Cristina Kirchner's former Transport Secretary Ricardo Jaime was indicted last week for unlawful enrichment and impounded for 40 million Argentine Pesos (approx 5 million dollars) He's the first of very close former aides of the powerful couple to face a jail sentence.

 The indictment also includes his brother Daniel Jaime, wife Silvia Reyes and his private advisor Manuel Vázquez.

Jaime is being investigated because of 12 million pesos assets (million and a half dollars) which he allegedly pocketed during his tenure of the Transport ministry from 2003 to 2009.

Among the assets which prosecutor Carlos Rivolo is demanding to know the origin of the funds for their purchase are a Lear Jet, a yacht currently retained in Uruguay, real estate in Cordoba, properties in several Buenos Aires condominiums, an apartment in Brazil, two dozen modern vehicles and radio stations in Cordoba, which apparently are to the name of a front person or persons.

”During the period (2003/2009) the assets of the former Secretary have increased significantly, using for that purpose people's names and companies which respond to other names“, argues the prosecution.

”Besides there is no relation between the licit funds the former official received for the job he performed, plus never having credited or declared the existence of other incomes. Furthermore the people whose names were used do not have the solvency or sufficient income to acquire the above described assets“ according to the prosecution's statement and reproduced by the Buenos Aires media.

”Ricardo Jaime not only knew the job he was performing but also the implicit responsibilities. The evidence collected indicates that he was intent in increasing his personal assets, knowingly it was beyond his declared income. To this purpose and with the need to dissimulate the increase of his personal assets was the reason for the appearance of these front names, circumstance which in the process of the investigation is an objective element which allows us to confirm the crime committed“.

The seized yacht which is docked in the Uruguayan seaside resort of Piriápolis, 'Altamar 64' is part of the list of assets impounded and it is estimated it cost a million dollars.

Former Secretary Jaime during his period handed hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to support the cheap fares of the Argentine transport system. Apparently he was also involved in a major operation to purchase new aircraft from Brazil for Aerolineas Argentinas.

The magistrate of the case is Federal judge Sebastian Casanello.

Prosecutor Carlos Rivolo claims that all along the investigation he was constantly 'pressured' by political groupings, attempts to 'neutralize' the collection of evidence, plus threats and graffiti in city walls.

Nevertheless 'the forcefulness of the evidence was so overwhelming' that despite any delay it would finally come to light.

Finally it's common to claim that 'pressures' come from the 'economic groups' or the big 'media organizations', but ”I can assure that there are also pressure and intimidation attempts” from groups belonging to the political system.

Ricardo Jaime was born in Cordoba but migrated to Santa Cruz province, where he lived in a very modest rented flat until he came across the Kirchner couple, at the time governor of the extreme south province. As many close advisors and political allies of the Kirchner couple, his luck changed for good, until now, apparently.