Unpublished Chats of Hermosilla: Prosecutors Investigate 22 Conversations with Piñera Government Officials and Criminal Lawyers

Original article: Chats inéditos de Hermosilla: Fiscalía analiza 22 conversaciones con figuras del gobierno Piñera y abogados penalistas

In a significant turn within the so-called «Hermosilla Case», prosecutors have incorporated 22 previously unpublished WhatsApp conversations involving criminal lawyer Luis Hermosilla, entangled with a powerful network that includes members of the late President Sebastián Piñera’s government, as well as penalists and judicial authorities.

A report by Reportea.cl revealed that these chats, extracted from a hard drive backup of Hermosilla’s mobile phone, are part of an investigation concerning bribery, influence peddling, and money laundering, among other economic crimes linked to the controversial lawyer.

22 Conversations Under Investigation

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, a staff member from the Public Ministry retrieved a hard drive from the Eastern Prosecutor’s Office of the Metropolitan Region containing 22 specific chats from Luis Hermosilla’s phone. This material, which had remained under the strictest confidentiality, forms the core of a new investigative angle.

The acquisition of these chats resulted directly from a search authorized by Judge Cristián Azócar of the 7th Court of Guarantees on January 30. The original request came from Prosecutor Ximena Chong, then head of the High Complexity Prosecutor’s Office, who sought Hermosilla’s communications «with anyone regarding Ms. Verónica Sabaj Escudero, particularly from 2020 to 2023».

The investigation utilized the keyword «Sabaj», resulting in 22 distinct conversational threads where the former Minister of the Santiago Court was mentioned—she was removed from the Judiciary for her ties to Hermosilla.

Documents accessed by Reportea list the following individuals:

1-Ana Maria Hernández Medina (judicial prosecutor of the Santiago Court).

2-Andrés Chadwick (former Minister of the Interior).

3-Angela Vivanco (former Minister of the Supreme Court).

4-Antonio Ulloa (judge of the Santiago Court of Appeals).

5-Claudio Alvarado (former Minister Secretary General of the Presidency).

6-Daniel Sauer (businessman and head of Factop factoring).

7-Carlos Flores.

8-Francisco Sepúlveda (lawyer and Hermosilla’s confidant).

9-Gabriel Zaliasnik (criminal lawyer).

10-Campaign Group Jaime Mañalich.

11-Group La Oficina.

12-Group LHO Andrés Sotomayor (former presidential advisor to Piñera).

13-Group LHO GZ (Gabriel Zaliasnik).

14-Group Justice System.

15-José Ramón Correa (former chief of staff of the Comptroller’s Office, current director of Azul Azul).

16-Lorena Parra (Regional Prosecutor of the East).

17-Luciano Fouillioux (human rights lawyer).

18-Mario Vargas (criminal lawyer).

19-Samuel Donoso (criminal lawyer).

20-Verónica Sabaj (former Santiago Court of Appeals minister).

21-Groups Donoso, Hermosilla, and Andrés Sotomayor.

22-Group Zaliasnik, Donoso, Hermosilla.

Connections with Hermosilla

In response to inquiries from Reportea.cl, several individuals involved addressed their relationships with Hermosilla and the potential existence of these chats.

Claudio Alvarado, former minister in Piñera’s administration, stated he does not remember «at all» if there are chats between him and the questioned lawyer regarding Verónica Sabaj.

Similarly, José Ramón Correa indicated he does not recall «having any conversation with Luis Hermosilla, either written or verbal, regarding Minister Verónica Sabaj.» He further mentioned, «Until the so-called audio case, Luis Hermosilla was one of the most recognized criminal lawyers in the country, and I met him professionally. I never had any sponsorship in any case with lawyer Hermosilla.»

Luciano Fouillioux, who has known Hermosilla since their time at the National Institute, downplayed the content of their conversations, noting they «do not include anything relevant or important. Just common and social life.»

Samuel Donoso, in a written response to questions last March, denied having any influence in judicial appointments.

«Personally, I played no role in any appointment,» he said. This claim was later called into question by Minister Mario Carroza’s statement, which revealed a dinner with Donoso during his own candidacy for the highest court.

Group Chats with Power Networks

The data extracted from the mobile phone extends beyond one-on-one conversations. It includes group chats that reveal the collaborative dimension of Hermosilla’s operations. Among them stand out:

«Group Campaign Jaime Mañalich»: Related to the former Minister of Health’s failed candidacy for senator in 2021. According to the cited outlet, Mañalich declined to answer questions for the report.

«Group La Oficina»: Function yet to be determined, but suggests ongoing coordination.

Chats with Andrés Sotomayor: The former presidential advisor, reported by The Clinic, revealed he delivered envelopes with cash to Hermosilla after Piñera’s second government.

Regarding the coordination for the defense of Judge Silvana Donoso, Samuel’s sister, previously disclosed chats have shown that «the lawyers indeed talked to parliamentarians to prepare questions benefitting Silvana Donoso,» contradicting the lawyer’s denial.

Sources close to the investigation confirmed to Reportea.cl that the analysis of the chats has already yielded concrete results. «Conversations have been identified where Sabaj provides information to third parties through Hermosilla, related to presentations to be seen in court, and others where she offers suggestions on how to act in light of certain investigations,» they indicated.

Prosecutor Perivancich and her team do not limit their probe to judicial influence. Any found information in these chats, not related to Sabaj and Ulloa’s investigations, that could indicate other crimes is being forwarded to «regional prosecutors handling other angles of the Hermosilla case, or sent to the National Prosecutor’s Office for a decision.»

Investigation with Ups and Downs

The investigation currently led by Prosecutor Perivancich has faced a tumultuous path. It began in January 2025 after the disclosure of chats between Hermosilla and Sabaj by The Clinic. Originally, cases against Sabaj and Ulloa were in the hands of prosecutors Ximena Chong and Javier Von Bischoffshausen, respectively.

However, in March, searches ordered by Von Bischoffshausen—including one at Constitutional Tribunal Minister Héctor Mery—resulted in a judicial setback when the Supreme Court declared the seizure of Mery’s phone illegal, necessitating its return.

This move led National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia to restructure the cases and transfer them to the Valparaíso Prosecutor’s Office.

According to El Mercurio, Perivancich’s investigation is now in its final phase, with formal complaints being drafted against Sabaj and Ulloa for crimes such as influence peddling, abuse of power, and disclosure of secrets. While the former minister has been removed from the Judiciary, Ulloa remains in his position at the Santiago Court, despite serious probity violations identified in his inquiry.

The inclusion of these 22 unpublished conversations marks a turning point in the Hermosilla Case. It not only broadens the circle of individuals under investigation but also exposes the mechanisms of an influence network that, according to prosecutors, operated at the highest levels of Chilean political and judicial power.