Argentine President Javier Milei and his sister, Karina Milei, were notably absent from a scheduled court hearing related to the $4.5 million LIBRA meme coin scandal. The virtual session, intended as a preliminary step before potential civil litigation, proceeded without any legal representatives for the Mileis.
According to the Argentine newspaper Página/12, only one attorney appeared at the hearing, representing defendant Manuel Terrones Godoy. Godoy, who has been previously implicated in financial misconduct, was reportedly involved in promoting the LIBRA cryptocurrency, which tanked shortly after receiving public endorsement from President Milei.
Federal Judge Intensifies LIBRA Investigation
Federal Judge María Servini has ramped up the investigation by formally requesting access to the Mileis’ financial records from Argentina’s Central Bank. The judicial order covers bank account information dating back to 2023 and includes Karina Milei, who currently serves as the Secretary General of the Presidency.
The investigation stems from allegations that the Mileis had ties to individuals involved in the promotion of LIBRA, which reportedly defrauded 25 victims both in Argentina and internationally. Losses are estimated at approximately $4.5 million, with some victims claiming to have lost their entire life savings.
Judge Servini has also frozen assets belonging to several key figures linked to the scandal, including Mauricio Novelli, founder of Tech Forum Argentina, and Sergio Morales, a former advisor to the National Securities Commission. Both men allegedly helped connect the Mileis with Hayden Davis, an American developer behind the LIBRA token.
Surveillance Footage Reveals Suspicious Bank Activity
Further fueling suspicions, security footage from a Galicia bank branch captured two women, identified as María Alicia Rafaele and María Pía Novelli, entering the bank with empty bags on February 17. The footage then shows them leaving the branch with visibly fuller bags, just a day after LIBRA’s market price spiked following President Milei’s endorsement.
“At 11:03:08, the women were observed exiting the branch with their handbag and backpack appearing significantly more filled than when they arrived,” stated a report from the Federal Police’s Money Laundering division.
President Milei initially promoted LIBRA on his social media platforms on February 14, leading to a brief surge in the token’s value. However, the price soon plummeted, leaving many investors with massive losses. Milei later released a statement denying any knowledge of the transaction details.
The investigation continues as authorities work to trace the missing funds and determine whether the Mileis had any direct financial benefit from the failed LIBRA project.
