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Federal Judge Gastón Salmain Ordered Into Preventive Detention in Foreign-Exchange Case

The Council of the Magistracy refused to pause the disciplinary process during the January recess.

Overview

  • Judge Carlos Vera Barros processed Salmain for alleged illicit association and for breach of duty, aggravated passive bribery, and prevarication.
  • The preventive detention order cannot be executed while judicial immunity stands, and the court imposed a travel ban and asset embargoes of US$200,000 on each defendant.
  • Financier Fernando Whpei and notary Santiago Busaniche were also processed, with prosecutors noting Whpei’s cooperating-witness statement and imposing travel restrictions on both.
  • The case centers on a 2023 court order that let the Attila trust buy up to US$10 million at the official rate during currency controls, with prosecutors alleging a 10% kickback roughly worth US$200,000 and subsequent irregular handling of the dollars.
  • The Council’s decision to keep deadlines running follows a review of alleged irregularities in Salmain’s appointment, including a previously reported 2001 disciplinary sanction now under scrutiny.