Scandal Exposes โคConnectionsโค Between Patricia Bullrich and Disgraced โฃLawyer Marcelo D’Alessio
A judicial investigation intoโ the activities of Marcelo D’Alessio, a lawyer later revealed to be operating under โfalseโข pretenses, has brought to light aโ series of connections between him and then-Security Minister Patricia Bullrich. The case, culminating in a conviction, details how D’alessio leveraged perceived access to government officials for illicit purposes.
Evidence presented duringโ the trial revealed D’Alessio repeatedly boasted of his relationship with Bullrich. A secretaryโค of โคa lawyer associated with โD’Alessio testified thatโ D’Alessio frequently mentioned Bullrich and claimed to have โฃmetโฃ with the minister. Another convicted individual, Exafi Rolandoโข Barreiro, stated he was aware of a connection between D’alessio โand Bullrich.
further linking the two, a โpresentation titledโ “Proposal final ministry,” detailing narcotics trafficking โขroutes and methods, was found on a โcomputer seized from โฃD’Alessio. The document was edited in November 2016. โฃ on August 14, 2017, D’Alessio met with Bullrich at Gelly obes, a meetingโ Security officials later characterized as pertaining to โค”drugโ trafficking” andโข involving Martรญnโ Verrier, thenโ Undersecretary of Fighting Drug Trafficking.Judges concluded thisโ access was “exploitedโฆas a resource of legitimation and influence, for the benefit of the illicit maneuvers deployed by the institution.”
The investigation into D’Alessio began in January 2019, following a complaint byโฃ businessman Pedro Etchebest, who alleged he was being extorted by D’Alessio and prosecutor Carlos Stornelli to remain silent in the “notebooks”โข case.Etchebest stated he had met with both men at โขa resort.
D’Alessio’s โdefense argued the case wasโข fabricated and involved improper venue shopping, claims the court rejected, noting D’Alessio himself proposed the meeting location and that the jurisdiction of Dolores was appropriate given the events in nearby Pinamar.
The Tribunal Oral Federal 8 (TOF8) foundโ the investigation led by Judge Ramos Padilla presented a “solid accusatory hypothesisโฃ that was demonstrated irrefutably in โthe debate.” โ They also dismissed claims of a plot against D’Alessio.
Instead, theโฃ court found evidence โof efforts within the Mauricioโ Macriโข administration to contain the scandal.D’Alessio communicated with his wife on February 11, 2019, anticipating a statement to the Ministry of justice and a complaint by Stornelli seeking his arrest at Comodoro Py,โ suggesting a preferred legal venue. Judges noted D’Alessio’s “striking” โคforeknowledge of Stornelli’s planned complaint.
Audio recordings revealed D’Alessio waiting near Posadas Street for lawyer โRodrigo Gonzรกlez to conclude aโข meeting, speculatingโ it might be atโข Bullrich’s residence due to the heavy security presence.Phone records confirmed D’Alessio’s phone connected โคto a cell tower nearโ Posadas and Callao streets that night.
While the court acknowledged it could not โdefinitively confirm a โฃmeeting between D’Alessio and high-ranking government officials based onโ the evidence, they highlighted the โ”public and notorious questions” raised by the then-head of the National Executive Power (referring โฃto Macri) regarding Judge Ramosโข Padilla and the subsequent โrequest for a political trial against him, stemming from the investigation.
