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Sunchales Man Held in Preventive Detention Over Alleged $54 Million 'Fake Lawyer' Scheme

Prosecutors allege he forged judicial documents to pass himself off as an attorney.

Overview

  • The accused, identified as Juan Andrés Zurvera, 31, had completed only 13 law exams since 2014 and was not licensed to practice.
  • Prosecutor Guillermo Loyola formally charged him with repeated fraud, usurpation of title and forgery, and Judge Javier Bottero ordered preventive detention without a set term.
  • Investigators estimate roughly $54 million was obtained over three years, including about $18 million traced to client transfers between January and November 2025.
  • According to the case file, he targeted people with urgent legal needs, took upfront payments for cases that were never filed and used falsified signatures to suggest progress.
  • The investigation remains active as new complaints and testimony are added, local institutions where he once held roles have distanced themselves and victims describe both financial losses and emotional harm.