Court Orders Asset Freeze
Argentina's Federal Oral Court No. 2 has ordered the preventive seizure of assets belonging to former President Cristina Fernández, who is serving a six-year prison sentence under house arrest since June 2025. The measure, issued on Wednesday, is part of the execution of the sentence in the 'Vialidad' corruption case, which also imposed a permanent ban on holding public office.[S1][S3]
The court's resolution aims to preserve assets identified for confiscation, totaling approximately 685 billion pesos (about $450.6 million). This amount represents the financial damage to the state caused by irregularities in public road works contracts during the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández. The nine convicted individuals, including Fernández, are jointly responsible for this sum.[S1][S3]
Properties and Funds Affected
Among the seized properties is the apartment at San José 1111 in Buenos Aires, where Fernández is currently under house arrest. This property belongs to Los Sauces S.A., the family's real estate company. The measure also includes a duplex, seven parking spaces, an apartment, and a storage unit in the Madero Center complex in Puerto Madero, as well as properties in Recoleta, El Calafate, and Río Gallegos, including a chalet and a hotel.[S4][S5][S6]
The court also extended the seizure to assets of Fernández's children, Máximo and Florencia Kirchner, who were not convicted in the case. This includes $5 million found in a safety deposit box belonging to Florencia, as the court considers that the family benefited indirectly from the fraudulent contracts. The court has requested banks to report on accounts and safety deposit boxes within 24 hours.[S1][S4][S5]
Legal Process and Next Steps
The preventive seizure does not imply immediate auction or transfer of ownership. It establishes a legal unavailability of the assets while the Supreme Court decides on the final confiscation. The court has identified 111 assets for appraisal and auction, with a second batch of 144 assets, including vehicles and shares in companies, also under consideration.[S1][S3][S6]
The 'Vialidad' case began in 2019 and led to Fernández's conviction in December 2022 for fraudulent administration. The Supreme Court confirmed the sentence in June 2025, after which the court ordered her detention and updated the confiscation amount. The defense has repeatedly questioned the ruling and plans to appeal to international bodies.[S1][S5]
