The federal judge Carlos Vera Barros decided to prosecute his colleague Gaston Salmaintogether with the financier Fernando Whpei and the clerk Santiago Busanichefor joining an “illegal association” that used the federal judiciary to carry out a maneuver that reaped large profits.
Salmain played a leading role in the maneuver: he was the one who approved the trust at the end of 2023 Attila –managed by Whpei- 10 million dollars at the official price.
There are suspicions that this process ended with the sale of currencies on the parallel market at that time The exchange rate ruled.
Vera Barros ordered the prison Judge preventionbut it will only be carried out before the Judicial Council, where Salmain is being investigated, expedite his dismissal.
According to the investigation, the three “were part of an association with the goal commit crimes between September 2023 and April 2024, when they planned to transfer $10 million to foreign accounts, through illegal manipulation of a file filed in the Federal Court No. 1 with jurisdiction over Salmain.
According to the investigation, “Whpei used his influence and economic power to achieve the deliberate aim of having Salmain, together with Busaniche, direct the court proceedings within the file and favor him in the related financial aspects.” Attila Fideicomisos SRL, Grupo Unión SA and Lancers SA“.
In return for that Busanichefor their operational contribution and Salmainwho played a key role in the case, demanded ten percent payment the difference in the exchange rate at the time of the transaction between the official dollar and the blue dollara sum that amounted to approximately $200,000.
As part of the investigation, prosecutors gathered evidence that suggests they can comply with the criminal planSalmain previously met with Whpei – at least once at his work office – on September 2, 2023, where the financier gave him the order they would submit and the judge discussed the technical feasibility and demanded the rest I fixed it with Busaniche.
He then issued corresponding resolutions Whpei.
The Central Bank appealed the measure on December 11, 2023, and although the Federal Chamber of Rosario ruled in favor of the company, The money had already been raised in six different tranches.
Attila Trusts served as trustee of the private trust Doubleblue Argentina Credit Trust II, whose acronym is almost identical to the company that called in the debt, raising suspicions about whether the operators behind Doubleblue were paying off debts themselves.
If the Central Bank Salmain asked the judge to suspend the measure a day after it was approved, and Salmain ordered that it be so automatic and instant fulfillment.
The prosecutors Federico Reynares Solari and Juan Argibayfrom the Money Laundering Prosecutor’s Office, want to prove whether the operation involved a personal benefit for the judge and whether irregular maneuvers were carried out with the currency, as Whpei explained in his remorseful capacity.
Official records show that the company has at least acquired $1,128,850which were transferred to the company DB ACF Netherlands BV, a creditor that would have granted a financing line in 2018. The investigation accelerated after that Whpei will present himself as remorseful in the case of former judge Bailaque, where he is accused of involvement in an extortion and institutional corruption plot.
The Rosario financier has been detained in his home since mid-May and his house arrest has been extended until January 2026.
Parallel to that Salmain is being investigated for another episode related to the former head of ARCA Rosario, Carlos Vaudagnawho also expressed remorse last March.
Late last year, the judge made an unorthodox attempt retain jurisdiction over the cases handled against Vaudagnainvolved in corruption cases along with Bailaque.
Prosecutors filed suit against him and managed to keep the case out of their court. According to court sources Salmain has had a proven relationship with Vaudagna since 2018before he was appointed judge in 2023 and could have tried to concentrate these files for money.
A new investigation into Vaudagna’s cell phone recovered deleted WhatsApp conversations, showing that 48 messages were exchanged between December 2018 and May 2019 between the former officer and a contact listed as “Gastón Salmain.”
This investigation prompted prosecutors PROCELAC They will request a search of Salmain’s office. The judge handed him his iPhone 17 turned off and without an unlock code. Adding to these problems is the fact that he has been under investigation by the Judicial Council since July last year because, due to his professional career as a judge, he failed to comply with the fact that twenty years ago he was dismissed from the federal judiciary in the federal capital for offering a bribe for keeping a file. His dismissal from the administration made it impossible for him to pursue a legal career, but the loss of this prior knowledge enabled him to have his specifications approved twice by the Senate Agreements Commission and become a federal judge.
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