Provincial deputy Santiago Pérez Pons filed a criminal complaint against Mayor Bruno Cipolini and his economic team for irregularities in handling public funds invested in risky stock instruments. The accusation alleges embezzlement and lack of authorization, amid deficit budgets. The municipality defends its actions as legal and plans to recover the lost funds.
In the city of Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, Chaco, deputy Santiago Pérez Pons filed a criminal complaint against Mayor Bruno Cipolini, Economy Secretary Alejandra María Quintana, and Government Secretary Diego Landriscina. The judicial filing accuses irregularities in placing state resources in high-risk stock instruments in the Mercado Argentino de Valores (MAV), through the Bolsa de Comercio del Chaco, without specific budgetary backing or Municipal Council authorization.
The complaint alleges possible crimes such as embezzlement of public funds, breach of public official duties, and incompatible negotiations with public function. According to the filing, the municipality acquired deferred payment checks in the non-guaranteed segment (NOGA), assuming direct credit risks from private companies. Estimates cited indicate a loss of around $2.500 million for the municipality, within an operation that generated losses near $12.000 million.
Municipal Executive sources stated they acted within the legal framework and are preparing an institutional response. The municipality claims it was also affected and is considering actions to recover the funds, like other investors. The operations date back to at least 2018, with alleged administrative controls.
The municipal budget for 2025 projects resources over 57.459 million pesos, with financing of 14.235 million, and a deficit of $9.222 million. For 2026, financing rises to 27.170 million, with a deficit exceeding $19.000 million. The complaint questions how an entity with structural deficits allocated surpluses for speculative investments, without specific budget items or resolutions documenting the placements.
Tribunal de Cuentas Resolution 14/96 requires a conservative investment profile to preserve state assets. The Executive argues the decisions managed temporary liquidity surpluses for commitments like bonuses and salaries. Julio Barrios Cima, manager of the Bolsa de Comercio del Chaco, explained that investors knew the NOGA risks, intended for qualified actors.
The courts must investigate, with requests for reports from the Bolsa, Nuevo Banco del Chaco, and Tribunal de Cuentas, plus seizure of documentation to reconstruct the operations and determine damages.
