After an international scandal and a quick hearing, the five Argentine tourists were arrested in Miami for theft They were able to return to the country on Thursday. Diego Luis Chicato, Mauricio Ariel Aparo, Sebastian Luis Moyano, Juan Manuel Zuloaga, Juan Pablo Rua They paid the bail imposed by the American justice systemThe value of which ranged between 4,000 and 4,500 dollars each, and they traveled to Chile, and from there they later moved to Mendoza. Despite the seriousness of the initial accusations… Their visa has not been cancelledFrom there, they traveled on their tickets to Chile and were not deported. They left a pickup truck at a trans-Andean airport fifteen days ago, the truck they used to return to Mendoza.
However, the US court case will remain open, and those involved must appear in a Florida court at the end of January. Attorney-led defense strategy Roberto Castillo (representing Rua and Moyano), It seeks to free its clients from the charge of “criminal organization” And focus of responsibility Only in one of the group members. According to reports, shopping mall security cameras will essentially be compromised Zicatowho will be seen committing robberies, while the rest will try to say so They were just involuntary witnesses From his partner’s maneuver.
The accused’s file plays a central role in the legal strategy. Juan Pablo RuaFor example, it is Small and medium businessman associated with telephone franchises and children’s clothing, who traveled frequently to the United States for a decade. His lawyer confirms that Roy He spent $12,000 using a credit card on legal purchases During the trip, which was paid for by Moyano Another $9,000 Numbers used by the defense to describe the theft of three pants worth $350 attributed to the group as “ludicrous.”
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Castillo asserts that Miami police made wrong “guesses” when they saw a group of friends handling a bag and putting items away, interpreting this action as… The workings of a criminal organization. “There was only one who kept someone else’s belongings, the rest were able to verify the purchases and only one did not have an invoice for what he had.”The lawyer explained, stressing that he will send good conduct records to his clients to clean up their image before the North American court.
The return of the Mendoza residents represents a pause in the process, but it does not represent the end of their legal problems. United States justice The final session of the case is scheduled for January 29 The date by which they must appear again before a judge. In this case, in about 50 days, it will be determined whether the “misunderstanding” alleged by the defense is enough to avoid a conviction that could complicate future trips to the North Country.
Who are the five Mendoza “lighters” arrested and deported for robbing a Miami mall?
Itinerary and links with Cynthia Fernandez
The accused’s travel itinerary reveals the common logistics of many Mendoza residents looking for better prices abroad. The group left Mendoza on November 20 in a truck owned by Roa, crossed the mountain range through the Cristo Redentor Tunnel and left the vehicle at Santiago de Chile Airport to head from there to Miami. now, They will do the opposite, Taking advantage of the fact that the border crossing is available 24 hours a day.
Regarding the reasons for frequent trips, there are doubts that Rua can devote himself to purchasing clothes and technology for it Resale in Argentinaa common practice known as “BagayoHis connection to Miami is close: Even his wife Veronica had an affair with media personality Cynthia Fernandez (Lawyer Castillo’s partner) as a result of the shopping trips that the model promotes on her social media sites under the name “We’re crazy about shopping.”
Despite these recent statements, the defense’s focus is on dismantling the “organized crime” figure. The central argument is that Roa did it Company with 100 employees in Mendoza And an impeccable travel history, seeking to prove the incident that occurred at the Dolphin Mall It was an isolated event Resulting from the misconduct of an individual traveler and not from a criminal plan hatched by the group.
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