A new criminal complaint was filed this week against Argentine President Javier Milei; his sister and Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei; and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, along with his cousin Eduardo Menem.
The indictment alleges the existence of an illegal conspiracy to divert public funds through irregular contracts with the National Disability Agency (ANDIS).
The lawsuit, filed in the federal courts of Comodoro Py in Buenos Aires, follows the revelation of a series of audio recordings. In the recordings, a voice identified as Diego Spagnuolo, head of ANDIS and former personal lawyer to President Milei , describes in detail an alleged corruption scheme.
According to the indictment, the scheme allegedly involved Droguería Suizo Argentina SA, a pharmaceutical company linked to the family of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. The objective was to award multimillion-dollar contracts for the supply of medications without following the public bidding procedures required by Argentine law.
The affected funds were intended for assistance programs for approximately 1.5 million people with disabilities in the country. Milei's government, which took office in December 2023, is promoting an austere fiscal adjustment program that has included severe cuts in public spending, with disability assistance being one of the most targeted sectors.
The audios that mention Milei
The audio recordings, which were allegedly recorded in a cafe, have not yet been officially authenticated by the courts. However, their content has sparked a serious political crisis. In the recordings, the voice attributed to Spagnuolo repeatedly mentions Karina Milei, Eduardo "Lule" Menem, and the pharmacist.
In one of the fragments, we hear: “What Lule is doing is stealing in a way…” In another passage, the voice indicates: “He [referring to Javier Milei] is not involved, but it’s all his people.” Later, he adds: “I spoke with the president. (I told him) ‘Javi, this is happening, this and this.’ You know your sister is stealing .”
The recording also describes the drugstore's modus operandi: it is alleged that the drugstore centralized purchases, increased the commission percentage required from other suppliers, and then distributed part of those funds. "Karina should get 3%... 1% goes to me, and you, Karina, get 3%," it is heard.
Judicial background
This is not the first time similar accusations have been made. In August 2024, a lawyer filed a complaint based on news reports revealing contracts worth 30 billion Argentine pesos (approximately $30 million at the official exchange rate at the time) awarded to Droguería Suizo Argentina without public bidding.
These purchases would have been made in " meetings " carried out in the house that Fernando Menem , Martín's brother and " Lule 's " cousin , has in Nordelta, with associates of Suizo Argentina SA, according to the complaint.
The complainant stated that " everything reported here highlights that the National Disability Agency failed to follow the legal procedures to enter into a contract with the drugstore Suizo Argentina SA . " He also stated that the alleged corruption scheme used Andis " as a vehicle to divert public funds that were supposed to go to 1.5 million people with disabilities . "
That initial complaint, which targeted the same officials, was dismissed months later by the presiding court due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The case had been filed in Federal Court No. 11, which has been vacant since the death of its presiding judge in 2022.
The new complaint, filed by attorney Gregorio Dalbón , reiterates the accusations while incorporating the audio recordings as a central element. Dalbón requested search warrants at the headquarters of ANDIS, the General Secretariat of the Presidency, and the offices of Droguería Suizo Argentina. He also requested the seizure of financial documentation and contracts to determine the company's cash flow and shareholding structure.