By Times Newsroom
Copyright batimes
Federal courts in Argentina are investigating more than 600 contracts signed between the ANDIS national disability agency and pharmaceutical firm Suizo Argentina SA as a probe into an alleged corruption network continues.
Experts are looking into dealings between President Javier Milei’s government and Suiza Argentina, which is owned by members of the Kovalivker family.
Prosecutor Franco Picardi is analysing whether there were any surcharges and directed tenders, while the Administrative Investigation Prosecutor’s Office (PIA, in Spanish), headed by Sergio Rodríguez, is focusing its efforts into retracing the possible bribes.
According to court sources, from early 2024 to the current day, hundreds of contracts for the supply of medication have been signed, with potential invoicing in total potentially amounting to 55 billion pesos.
Investigators suspect that the company was favoured in contracting mechanisms for many years, potentially as far back as 2017.
Police in recent weeks have seized documentation including invoices, corporate emails and tender files which might have recurrently benefitted the pharmaceutical firm, which was historically controlled by businessman Eduardo Kovalivker and is currently overseen by his sons, Emmanuel Kovalivker and Jonathan Kovalivker.
Reports emerged Thursday that “irregularities” had already been detected, including “indications of steering and purchases above market value,” according to the TN news network.
Prosecutor Picardi is working on two lines of investigation: first, possible irregularities in public contracting and if directed tenders were awarded at prices above market value; second, whether a parallel bribery scheme existed in which unlawful payments were made to officials to ensure business with the State.
If it is verified that the contracts were part of a corruption scheme, both hypotheses would be directly linked.
A number of government officials are named in the criminal complaint at the heart of the case, including President Javier Milei, his sister and presidential chief-of-staff Karina Milei, top advisor Eduardo ‘Lule’ Menem, former ANDIS chief Diego Spagnuolo and members of the Kovalivker family.
The case also contains Spagnuolo’s leaked voice messages, which gave rise to the case, in which ‘Lule’ Menem and Karina Milei are directly mentioned.
