Original article: Se cae la austeridad de Milei: levantan secreto bancario a su jefe de Gabinete en causa por enriquecimiento ilícito

Milei’s Austerity Crumbles: Banking Secrecy Lifted for Chief of Staff Amid Illicit Enrichment Probe

The investigation into Manuel Adorni, the Chief of Staff for Javier Milei, is escalating as Argentine authorities have ordered the lifting of banking and tax secrecy regarding the senior official and his wife. This decision aims to scrutinize their financial activities further amidst growing concerns of irregularities that starkly contrast with the austerity policies championed by the libertarian administration.

The request made by prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita was granted by federal judge Ariel Lijo, allowing access to detailed information about bank accounts, loans, debit and credit card usage, investments, transfers, savings, and potential transactions through virtual wallets. This move will assist in tracking the wealth evolution of Adorni since entering public office and comparing it against his sworn statements to determine their consistency.

According to Página/12, this thorough examination will unveil the “details of the exorbitant spending” incurred by the couple recently, including property acquisitions that have drawn scrutiny due to the generous financing they received, especially considering Adorni’s salary was frozen for two years at just 3.5 million Argentine pesos, with declared savings totaling 48,700 dollars.

“These figures hardly explain the lifestyle they lead at first glance,” the report pointed out.

Witness Testimonies Complicating Milei’s Chief of Staff

As the investigation progresses, the judge has requested that the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA) provide information on income, assets, and financial movements, and has called more witnesses to testify. This includes the notary involved in the scrutinized real estate transactions, real estate agency officials, and others connected to Adorni’s properties. The goal is to clarify how these purchases were made and the sources of the funds.

When asked by Infobae about how many property transactions she had witnessed with Adorni over the past 15 years, notary Adriana Nevechenko responded, “Just none (…) everything came all at once.”

In response to whether she could explain the source of the money used for the acquisitions, she stated it was something that “must be explained by Manuel Adorni.”

Other witnesses expected to testify include the caretaker of a building where Adorni owns an apartment, the son of a retiree who sold him that property, and the owners of the real estate agency facilitating the purchase of the home in the Indio Cuá gated community acquired by the couple.

The Before and After in Adorni’s Spending Level

Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni is under serious scrutiny for a wealth increase that does not correlate with his reported income. Prior to taking office, he faced economic difficulties, including power outages due to non-payment.

However, as reported by Página/12, since arriving at the Casa Rosada in 2024, he has purchased a Jeep Compass, a house in an exclusive gated community (for which he paid at least 55,000 dollars), and a 200-square-meter apartment in the Caballito neighborhood of Buenos Aires, for which he only paid 30,000 of the total 230,000 dollars cost, financing the rest interest-free from two retirees.

Additionally, he has incurred luxury travel expenses: vacations in Aruba costing up to 1,000 dollars per night, a trip to New York partially covered by the Chief of Staff, and a private jet trip to Punta del Este costing 7,830 dollars, allegedly paid by his friend Marcelo Grandio, who has contracts with Public Television. Although the official claims he reimbursed that money, if it’s proven otherwise, “it could be seen as a return of favors for Grandio’s contracts with the government,” reported the mentioned media.

What is certain is that while Milei’s Chief of Staff is under judicial scrutiny for alleged illicit enrichment, the far-right leader continues to implement cuts to social programs as part of his austerity policy, through which public spending has faced adjustments of approximately 67 billion dollars over the past 26 months, equivalent to about 10% of Argentina’s GDP.