Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner Charged with Money Laundering and Corruption

Former Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her two children are charged with money laundering and corruption.

Two business associates have also been charged in the case and all five are barred from leaving Argentina.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, 64, already faces other charges including fraudulently administering state funds.

The former leader has denied wrongdoing and says she is the victim of political persecution.

In a statement on April 4, legal officials said Federal Judge Claudio Bonadio had brought formal charges against Cristina Fernandez for alleged money laundering in property dealings.

Her daughter, Florencia, and son, Maximo, have also been charged along with businessmen Cristobal Lopez and Lazaro Baez.

About $8 million of Cristina Fernandez’s assets have been frozen, the statement added.

Last month, a judge ruled that Cristina Fernandez, who governed from 2007 to 2015, should stand trial on charges of financial mismanagement while in office.

The ex-president is accused of ordering the central bank to sell dollars on the futures market at artificially low prices ahead of a widely expected devaluation of the Argentine peso.

Cristina Fernandez also faces separate corruption charges alleging that her government steered public contracts to Lazaro Baez – a businessman close to her family.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner insists that all the allegations against her are politically motivated and has accused current President Mauricio Macri of plotting against her.