Court confirms trial of former ANDIS chief Diego Spagnuolo on graft charges
A federal appeals court has ordered Diego Spagnuolo, former head of Argentina's national disability agency ANDIS, to stand trial on corruption charges stemming from an alleged bribery scheme in the procurement of medicines and medical supplies.
Judges Roberto Boico and Eduardo Farah of the Federal Appeals Court's Sala II chamber confirmed the decision on Tuesday, sending Spagnuolo and 18 other defendants to trial on charges of forming an illicit association. The ruling also imposed asset freezes on the defendants, with Spagnuolo's set at approximately 36 billion pesos.
The alleged corruption scheme
Spagnuolo, who served as President Javier Milei's personal lawyer before being appointed to lead ANDIS in December 2023, allegedly headed a corruption ring that demanded kickbacks in exchange for steering contracts toward specific pharmaceutical laboratories. The scheme allegedly operated between December 2023 and October 2025, affecting the agency's Incluir Salud program, which provides high-cost medicines and supplies to people with disabilities who lack other health coverage.
According to prosecutor Franco Picardi's hypothesis, the defendants steered contracts with inflated pricing to obtain illicit gains. The judges noted in their ruling that Spagnuolo intervened in the illicit manoeuvres carried out in the heart of the organisation of which he was in charge.
Warning signs and the scandal breaks
Warning signs emerged months before the scandal became public. ANDIS's internal audit unit identified irregularities in procurement processes as early as September 2024, though the corruption scheme continued operating for another year.
The case broke open in August 2025 after leaked audio recordings attributed to Spagnuolo were published by local media. The recordings allegedly captured discussions about the bribery operation, leading to Spagnuolo's dismissal and triggering the criminal investigation.
Evidence of structured kickbacks
Investigators found evidence suggesting a structured kickback system. Prosecutors reportedly discovered commission tables on businessman Miguel Ángel Calvete's phone listing percentages of 15%, 10%, 5%, and 3%, indicating the alleged division of illicit payments among participants.
The appeals court rejected a defence motion seeking to quash the case on grounds that the voice recordings had been illegally obtained. The case, initially handled by federal judge Sebastián Casanello who ordered the trials last February, is now under the jurisdiction of federal judge Ariel Lijo of the Juzgado Federal No. 11 courtroom.
Institutional changes and ongoing developments
The corruption scandal prompted significant institutional changes. In December 2025, the government dissolved ANDIS entirely, transferring its functions to a new Secretariat of Disability within the Health Ministry.
The court's decision comes one day after the resignation of Alejandro Vilches, who had been serving as ANDIS chief following Spagnuolo's departure, and follows the announcement of an audit that found a discrepancy of 158.717 billion pesos in the agency's internal records.
On Wednesday, Nadia Beller, former girlfriend of political consultant Fernando Cerimedo, testified in the case. Beller claims to possess evidence that Cerimedo, a former advisor to President Milei, leaked the voice messages attributed to Spagnuolo that triggered the investigation.
