On Tuesday, the San Martín Appeals Court transferred territorial jurisdiction to the Federal Court of First Instance in Campana to continue the investigation against Luciano Nicolás Pantano and others in a case for alleged money laundering linked to assets located in the Partido de Pilar. The decision, signed by Appeals Court Judge Alberto Agustín Lugones, resolves the positive conflict of jurisdiction that had arisen between the Campana court and the National Economic Criminal Court No. 10 in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, according to sources from the judicial agency Noticias Argentinas. The Campana court claimed the case on the grounds that the main subject of the investigation is a high-value property located in Villa Rosa, Partido de Pilar. According to the complaint, on this property there would be classic cars and an Arabian and thoroughbred horse stud farm, an equestrian training track and a heliport, in addition to multiple sports facilities. For its part, the Economic Criminal Court opposed the transfer on the grounds that the “core” of the conduct was linked to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), whose historic legal address is in CABA, and that the alleged preceding offense would be fraudulent administration to the detriment of said entity. To resolve the transfer of the case to the Buenos Aires province jurisdiction, the San Martín Appeals Court took into account two factors. The court noted that the Economic Criminal Court failed to decide in a timely and proper manner on territorial jurisdiction, despite previous warnings from other appellate judges on this point. Finally, the court concluded that reasons of procedural celerity and an adequate administration of justice require that the investigation be conducted within the scope of Campana, ensuring respect for the guarantee of the natural judge established in article 18 of the Constitution. On the one hand, the court pointed out that the determining point of the alleged money laundering would have occurred in Pilar, where illegal funds would have been used to acquire the property and maintain luxury goods. On the other hand, the ruling highlighted that as of November 15, 2024, the AFA formally registered its change of jurisdiction to an address on Mercedes Street, also in the town of Pilar, Buenos Aires Province. In its resolution, Judge Lugones warned that the lack of a timely decision on the natural judge affected constitutional guarantees.
Appeals Court Transfers Money Laundering Case to Campana Court
The San Martín Appeals Court transferred the investigation of an alleged money laundering case to the Campana court, arguing the need to ensure procedural speed and respect for the constitutional guarantee of a natural judge. The key events related to the crime occurred in the city of Pilar, where the property under investigation is located.
