A contractor testified Tuesday that Manuel Adorni paid him 245,000 dollars in cash for renovations at a property in a Buenos Aires gated community [1].
This testimony is a central component of an ongoing judicial investigation into alleged illicit enrichment involving Adorni, the Jefe de Gabinete. The case examines whether the official's spending and assets align with his legal income sources.
Matías Tabar, the contractor, provided the testimony on May 5 [2]. He said he received the 245,000 dollars [1] in cash for the remodeling work. Tabar said that neither he nor the suppliers issued invoices in the name of Adorni or Betina Angeletti [3].
The judicial investigation into Adorni's finances began more than a month ago in April [1]. The probe focuses on the source of funds used for high-cost improvements to the official's residence.
Adorni's circle and the government have disputed the figures. Regarding the reported sum, an associate of Adorni said, "Ese no es el monto" [4]. The government has rejected the specific figure of 245,000 dollars cited in the contractor's statement [2].
While some reports mentioned a figure of 250,000 dollars, the primary testimony from Tabar specifies 245,000 dollars [1], [4]. The discrepancy in the amount remains a point of contention between the contractor's claims and the official's defense.
“"Me pagó 245.000 dólares en efectivo por las refacciones de mi casa."”
The allegation of large, undocumented cash payments suggests a deliberate attempt to bypass financial transparency and tax reporting. If the judiciary finds that Adorni utilized funds beyond his disclosed legal income for these renovations, it could provide the evidentiary basis for a formal charge of illicit enrichment, potentially jeopardizing his position within the administration.
