Lucia Salinas
04/23/2020 - 20:27
- Clarín.com
- Politics
Following the complaint against the Ministry of Social Development for the irregular purchase of food, the prosecutor Guillermo Marijuán in charge of the investigation ordered a series of measures, including the raid of one of the companies involved Copacabana SA
Two days ago, the Office of Administrative Investigations (PIA) in charge of the prosecutor Sergio Rodríguez, made the criminal complaint for the crimes of fraud against the public administration, abuse of authority and eventual negotiations incompatible with the public function. It was asked to investigate the purchases in which it is presumed that premiums would be paid in the purchase of food from the Ministry of Social Development. The committed amount was around $ 547 million and led to the resignation of fifteen officials who participated in the ministerial resolutions.
"It is understood that we are facing a case of alleged corruption defined as that practice developed in organizations, especially public ones, consisting of the use of functions and means of those for the benefit, economic or other nature of their managers," he maintains. the 111-page complaint to which Clarín agreed.
The case fell to court 12 in charge of judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral and delegated the investigation to the prosecutor Guillermo Marijuán who, after carrying out intelligence tasks on the denounced business group, detected that documentation was being withdrawn from one of the companies that could be useful for the cause and therefore ordered a search. The criminal complaint reaches not only the portfolio that Daniel Arroyo directs but also the companies that participated in the tender since for the PIA "irregularities have been verified that are clearly enough to start a criminal process" and He stressed that "a simulated competition scheme would have been used in the invitation of different companies but that they actually belonged to the same economic groups, thus concentrating the awards. All the invited bidders were awarded."
The contested awards generated for the PIA "a benefit to the awarded companies, but in turn a superlative profit would have been identified when applying to the case of 97 edible oil and sugar a surcharge that practically exceeds 62%".
For the prosecutor, the Ministry of Social Development, "allowed to favor certain intermediaries, awarding products at inflated prices, with the consequent damage to the public purse."
In the Decree signed by the prosecutor Marijuan and with which the investigation was opened, it was pointed out that regarding the successful bidders, "there would be links between the companies that were invited to public procurement, determining that some of them belonged to the same group of people "
This was the case, according to the complaint with the case of the firms of the firms "Teylem SA" and "Forain SA" in which its shareholders would be the "Lusardi" family. These two would share the declared address (Calle San Martin 66 Piso 4ª dept. 410 of this City), at the same time that their proxies would turn out to be the same people.
Also exposed is the link that could exist with the company "Blue Catering SA" "which has its domicile in the same property declared by the above. On the other hand, in the case of" Equis Quince SA "it was noted that it had as an employee Roberto Fernando Lancestremere, who would currently turn out to be the agent of "Teylem SA".
The Prosecutor's Office remarked that another relevant fact that was exposed is the fact that the President of the firm “Forain SA” would also hold that position in the company “Equis Quince SA”. Regarding the business group that is being raided, the complaint stated that This group of related companies made up of “Copacabana SA” and “Nomerobo SA”, "share their directors and managers - whose surname is Assisa -, having the same address located at 419 Paraguay Street in this City". The firm MH Accurso SRL - awarded in one of the cases - would not have been invited but presented itself directly. "
On the other hand, the companies "Sol Ganadera SRL" and "Alimentos Generales SA" were grouped, both allegedly owned by the Toscano family. The complainant concludes this since Federico Andrés Toscano and Suyay Anahí Toscano would be the shareholder of the first company named. Regarding the second - "Alimentos Generales SA- this would belong to the named Toscano and Roberto Ricardo Toscano, both firms declaring the address of Avenida Corrientes 1327, 4th Floor Dpt. 15 of this City.
Some examples cited by the prosecutor who took testimonial statements from food producers. The comparison turns out to be more striking when you consider that the National Government's maximum price program stipulates that the ideal oil could not be marketed at more than $ 98 pesos.
"It is here, where the possibility of having been awarded to the three aforementioned firms with a value well above that of the market is clearly noted," said the PIA and explained: "Producers sell Ideal brand oil to intermediaries for $ 83, 40, Casaliva brand at $ 82.28 and Indigo brand between $ 95 and $ 96. Final prices with taxes included. "
However, the State "awarded those same marks in the amounts of $ 157.80, $ 158.67, and $ 166.58, under the same conditions of quantities, payment terms, and delivery locations." Thus, the difference reaches 100% in some of the cases. Such an issue does not overcome any common sense reasoning. "
"Sufficient numbers when considering the possibility of a price premium," maintains the criminal complaint, was exemplified by another item. The company Copacabana SA was awarded in a purchase19 of the Ministry itself for 480,000 kilos of sugar brand "La 18 doll", "identical product as in the event reported here- but on that occasion at a value of $ 57.17 per unit."
In other words, not only did the Ministry "know the real value of the product, but the offering company was fully aware of the large amount for which it had offered."
Thus, the producer of the La Muñeca sugar brand sells to intermediaries the 1 Kg package for $ 46.58, "while the State awarded that same brand for $ 74.97 and $ 75.20 under the same conditions of quantities and payment term. Shocking, "said Rodríguez.
Meanwhile, Social Development took ten days to start an administrative investigation to determine responsibilities for the operation that was denounced by prosecutor Rodríguez. The investigation into the portfolio led by Daniel Arroyo began after an order from the PIA that also became an accuser. The situation resulted in the resignation of fifteen officials who would have participated in the administrative circuit.