Argentina’s president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been indicted with charges of corruption including through benefiting a family friend with public contracts.
Argentinean Federal Judge Julian Ercolini approved on Tuesday charges of illicit association and fraudulent administration against Kirchner. The judge also ordered the freezing of up to 633 million dollars of her assets.
The former president allegedly directed public road projects to a businessman, Lázaro Baez, of Austral Constructions. His construction company was granted more than 50 contracts for public projects during Kirchner’s two terms in office, according to reports.
Baez, who was a close family friend, was also charged, as were former secretary of public works José Lopez and former minister of planning Julio De Vido.
Lopez, who is currently in prison and awaiting trial, was arrested as he was trying to bury millions of dollars in cash at a monastery in June.
Kirchner is not under arrest but remains under investigation. She has previously denied any wrongdoing and accused her successor President Mauricio Macri of plotting against her.
“Illicit association is a legal concept that has been used by all dictatorships to persecute their political opponents,” she said on Twitter on Tuesday.
The charge of illicit association could carry up to 10 years of imprisonment.
Kirchner was in power for two terms, from 2007 to December 2015, after succeeding her husband, the late Nestor Kirchner.