In a historic ruling, the Federal Oral Court No. 4 on Monday sentenced former Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido and former Public Works Secretary José López to five years in prison for the crimes of passive bribery and defrauding the state in the Skanska case, the first major corruption scandal that erupted during the Kirchner era.
The sentence, handed down by judges Jorge Gorini, Guillermo Costabel, and María Gabriela López Iñiguez, considered it proven that both officials took bribes to steer the expansion of the Norte and Sur gas pipelines, awarded to the Swedish company Skanska. Judge López Iñiguez voted in dissent, arguing that the convicted parties engaged in negotiations incompatible with public office rather than bribery, and that there was no fraud against the state, based on an expert report from the Supreme Court that ruled out overpricing.
De Vido, who already has four convictions (one final for the Once tragedy), followed the verdict via Zoom from his home in a gated community in Zárate, where he is under house arrest due to his health. López, meanwhile, did so from prison. The court also ordered the confiscation of 48 million pesos, adjustable from 2005: 34 million for bribery and 14 million for fraud. The company Pecom, which bought Skanska’s assets in 2015, will be notified once the ruling becomes final.
Alongside De Vido and López, senior Skanska executives were convicted: Néstor Ulloa received five years for passive bribery; Mario Piantoni, four years for active bribery; Javier Azcárate and Gustavo Vago, four years each; and Eduardo Varni, Héctor Obregón, Juan Carlos Bos, Alejandro Gerlero, Alfredo Grecco, and Roberto Zareba, three years suspended. Another 17 defendants were acquitted, as requested by the prosecution.
Prosecutor Abel Córdoba placed De Vido and López as part of a corruption scheme aimed at steering contracts through bribes, fake invoices, and overpricing. The case began nearly two decades ago, following a complaint by the Civic Coalition and a journalistic report that revealed a network of shell companies used by Skanska to evade taxes or pay bribes.
The case stalled in 2011 when the Federal Chamber dismissed the charges, but was revived after judicial validation of a recording in which executive Javier Azcárate confessed to paying bribes. “We are meticulous and we do it well, or we don’t work,” is heard in the audio, where he also details that 5% of the contracts were distributed between Enargas and Nación Fideicomisos. The recording, initially declared null, was key to reopening the case.
The grounds for the ruling will be announced on September 22. Meanwhile, the defense teams are already anticipating appeals, and the confiscation of the 48 million pesos promises new judicial incidents.
Para mí esto es un circo montado por los gorilas para tapar la guita que se afanaron con los bonos basura de Macri. De Vido y López presos por Skanska? Me parece un chiste armado mientras los verdaderos chorros están en sus countries. Argentina es un circo y esta condena es show.
kjjjjjjjaa para mi estos kukas se lo merecen todo ojala se pudran en cana los hdrmp los chorros de siempre vamo a seguir limpiando esto viva la libertad carajo firmado el mono pesado