Overview

• Juan Grabois filed a criminal complaint accusing LLA deputy José Luis Espert of receiving $200,000 in 2020 from Federico “Fred” Machado, who is detained in Argentina and sought by the United States for drug trafficking and money laundering.
• A resolution led by Victoria Tolosa Paz and Agustina Propato, backed by Unión por la Patria and Coherencia lawmakers, moves to expel Espert for “moral ineligibility” and presses for his removal as president of the Budget committee.
• The filing cites U.S. prosecutors and reporting that Machado provided an aircraft with pilot, an armored Grand Cherokee and campaign funds to Espert in 2019, including a public video where Espert thanks Machado for a flight.
• Senator Martín Lousteau said evidence from the United States indicates a payment and called for Espert to step aside from the Budget chair during the 2026 budget discussions.
• The complaint references a ledger and a surge in Espert’s declared assets from 2022 to 2024, while no domestic criminal finding against him has been reported.