26/06/2026 18:11 - Judiciales
On June 26, 2026, Argentina's Penal Economic Chamber delivered a decisive ruling rejecting the attempt by the main defendants to escalate the dispute to the Cassation Court. Judges Roberto Hornos and Carolina Robiglio ordered that the case file be sent "with urgent priority" to the federal courts in Buenos Aires City, unlocking a case that had been frozen for seven months due to jurisdictional disputes.
The appellate judges instructed Penal Economic Court Nº10, led by Judge Verónica Straccia, to formally request that the federal judge of Campana, Adrián González Charvay, immediately send all physical case files.
The defense of the accused can only appeal through a direct complaint to the Federal Cassation Court, though legal experts consider this a stalling tactic with little chance of success.
Investigators discovered that the maintenance costs for the luxury car fleet were paid using a corporate credit card from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) issued in the name of Luciano Pantano himself—a key piece of evidence linking these assets to the football organization.
Pilar is an exclusive suburban area north of Buenos Aires City, known for its gated communities and polo fields. This is where the impressive property under investigation is located:
📍 Location: Villa Rosa, Pilar district
📐 Size: Five hectares (about 12 acres)
💰 Estimated Value: Approximately $17-20 million USD
📝 Recorded Purchase Price: Only $1.8 million USD
🏗️ Features: Helipad, soccer fields, equestrian tracks, stables
🚗 Warehouse: Housed 54 high-end vehicles valued at nearly $4 million USD
A shell company (or empresa pantalla in Spanish) is a business entity created to hold assets or conduct transactions while hiding the true owners. Here's how the company transformed:
| Aspect | Before (Central Parks Drinks S.R.L.) | After (Real Central S.R.L.) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Activity | Almost none | Purchase of luxury property |
| Company Capital | $300,000 Argentine pesos (~$300 USD) | $58 million Argentine pesos (~$58,000 USD) |
| Company Name Change | May 16, 2024 | |
| Property Purchase Date | May 30, 2024 (just 14 days later) | |
A testaferro (literally "head of iron" in Italian-origin Spanish) is a person who lends their name to appear as the legal owner of assets or businesses that actually belong to someone else. In this case, the Judiciary suspects that Luciano Pantano and his mother Ana Conte acted as frontmen to hide the true owners of the mansion and luxury cars.
The investigation began following a complaint filed by Elisa Carrió (prominent Argentine politician) and Facundo Del Gaiso. The judicial hypothesis suggests that Real Central S.R.L. purchased the property without sufficient economic capacity to justify such a significant transaction.
During the investigation, references were incorporated to Pablo Toviggino, treasurer of the AFA (Asociación del Fútbol Argentino)—the governing body of Argentine soccer—along with members of his family and commercial circle, and various companies under analysis. When authorities raided the property by court order, evidence was seized that investigators believe is linked to the football executive.
The case has already changed judges four times. In the latest conflict, Pantano and Conte managed to transfer the case to Campana, arguing that the investigated assets are located in Pilar, within that federal court's jurisdiction. However, the Chamber considered that the scope of the investigation exceeds the purchase of real estate and encompasses economic, financial, and corporate operations partly conducted in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
