A Step Forward Against Corruption: The Skanska Case Verdict

July 13, 2026 - According to reports from local media such as Infobae and El Día.

The Federal Oral Court No. 4 (TOF 4) issued a historic resolution on July 13, 2026, sentencing Julio De Vido, former Federal Planning Minister, and José López, former Public Works Secretary, to 5 years in prison and perpetual special disqualification from holding public office. The verdict found them guilty of passive bribery in ideal concurrence with fraudulent administration to the detriment of the public administration, as co-authors.

Details of the Convictions

The tribunal, composed of judges Néstor Costabel, Jorge Gorini, and María Gabriela López Iñiguez (who dissented on the legal classification and the sentence length), issued the verdict by majority. During the trial, which spanned 47 hearings since April 2024 and featured 78 witnesses, prosecutors Abel Córdoba and Joaquín Gaset demonstrated that the former officials rigged public tenders in favor of the Swedish construction company.

Others convicted in the ruling include:

• Néstor Ulloa (former manager of Nación Fideicomisos): 5 years in prison as a co-author.
• Mario Piantoni, Gustavo Vago, and Javier Azcárate (Skanska executives): 4 years in prison for active bribery and fraudulent administration as necessary participants.
• Héctor Osvaldo Obregón, Juan Carlos Bos, Alejandro Juan Gerlero, Roberto Antonio Zareba, Alfredo Greco, and Adrián López: 3 years in prison for active bribery with conduct rules.

Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of $34,594,947.34 Argentine pesos for fraudulent administration and $14,017,588.69 Argentine pesos for the bribery offense. These amounts must be updated to the date of execution.

The Historical Context of the Case

The Skanska Case is emblematic as it represented one of the first major public works corruption scandals during the Kirchnerist administrations. The investigation, initiated in 2006 by Judge Ariel Lijo and Prosecutor Carlos Stornelli, revealed a bribery scheme in exchange for directing pipeline expansion tenders for Transportadora Gas del Norte (TGN) and Transportadora Gas del Sur (TGS) to Skanska, which occurred in 2004.

For De Vido, who is currently under house arrest in Zárate for the Once Tragedy, this represents his fifth conviction for corruption-related offenses. López, on the other hand, heard the sentence from the Ezeiza prison complex. The judges announced that the complete publication of the sentence is scheduled for September 22, 2026.

This judicial progress reinforces confidence in institutions and the fight for transparency, demonstrating that justice works to clarify past events and build a more integral future.