Argentine officials probe assets of President Milei's Cabinet chief

BUENOS AIRES, May 6 (UPI) -- Argentine authorities are investigating Manuel Adorni, Cabinet chief and one of President Javier Milei's closest officials, over allegations of illicit enrichment, misuse of public funds, bribery and influence peddling.

The investigation gained new momentum Tuesday after court documents revealed alleged cash payments totaling about $245,000 for renovations to Adorni's home, according to the judicial case file.

Adorni holds one of the most influential positions in Argentina's executive branch, overseeing coordination among ministries and relations with Congress.

The case centers on a series of events involving foreign travel, real estate transactions and financial movements that investigators are reviewing collectively to determine whether the official's spending patterns matches his declared income.

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Federal prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita is examining what were described as suspicious expenditures and financial movements estimated at roughly $725,000.

The investigation began after Adorni's wife joined an official delegation on a trip to New York in March. The trip was initially reviewed by the courts and allegations dismissed, but it has since been incorporated into the broader examination of the official's assets.

The case later expanded to include personal and family trips to destinations such as Aruba, Punta del Este in Uruguay and the Argentine resort city of Bariloche -- representing expenses prosecutors believe exceeded the income Adorni declared.

Investigators also are reviewing Adorni's real estate dealings. He declared ownership of properties in La Plata and Buenos Aires, both currently for sale, in addition to purchasing an apartment in the Argentine capital and a house in a gated community.

According to court records, part of those acquisitions may have been financed through private loans and cash payments outside the traditional banking system.

The latest element added to the case involves expensive renovations at one of the properties, including construction of a travertine marble swimming pool and a waterfall structure, judicial documents show.

In his most recent financial disclosure, corresponding to 2024, Adorni reported savings in Argentine pesos, U.S. dollar holdings in an American bank account and cash kept outside the banking system. His declared average monthly income was about 3.5 million Argentine pesos, equivalent to approximately $2,480.

The official has argued that the investigation concerns matters related to his private life, a defense he has used previously when questioned about his assets.

Political analyst Julio Burdman told UPI the case remains primarily a political and media controversy, noting that it has not yet become a formal corruption prosecution.

Burdman compared the investigation with other recent Argentine political scandals, particularly those linked to Kirchner-era corruption allegations, where officials were accused of running major graft schemes.

"There were major cases involving estimates ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in bid-rigging, bribery and other specific accusations," Burdman said.

"In this case, what is being discussed is why the Cabinet chief appears to have made expensive personal expenditures despite earning what is considered a relatively modest salary," he added.

Burdman said the government continues to support Adorni because officials do not believe the accusations amount to proven corruption.

"The government has a very poor relationship with the press in general. President Javier Milei uses very harsh and offensive rhetoric toward the media, which has also contributed to intense journalistic scrutiny of the Adorni case," he said.

He added that opposition groups have used the controversy to repeatedly demand Adorni's resignation, and that the case has begun to affect both the government's public image and Adorni's own standing, although he said it is not the administration's main political challenge.

Lucas Romero, director of political consultancy Synopsis Consultores, told UPI the controversy is significant because of Adorni's senior position and because it directly affects the government's core political message.

"The idea was that this government represented ordinary citizens against a political class perceived as corrupt and focused on protecting its own privileges," Romero said.

He said the accumulation of allegations intensified public suspicion and pushed the issue onto the national political agenda.

"His way of speaking and his public attitude, perceived by some as arrogant, generated antipathy in certain sectors, which intensified the impact of the scandal," Romero added.

He also questioned the government's decision to keep Adorni in office despite the controversy.

"One of the questions many analysts are asking is why the president continues to back Adorni in an already difficult context," he said.

According to Romero, the government attempted to contain the political fallout by having Adorni appear before Congress and resume press conferences to try to normalize the situation. However, he warned that new revelations have reignited the controversy.