Thales legal proceedings were near to involving former President Menem.
Carlos Menem's Ongoing Legal Battle: The Thales Case
In the heart of Argentina's political landscape, the Thales case, also known as the "Coimas en la venta de material militar" or "bribery in the sale of military equipment," continues to unfold. This case involves former President Carlos Menem and allegations of illegal kickbacks related to arms sales to Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, specifically the purchase of military equipment from the French company Thomson-CSF (now part of Thales Group).
Current Status
Legal proceedings have been ongoing for many years, with several investigations, indictments, and court rulings. Carlos Menem was formally charged, but due to his advanced age and health issues, some parts of his trial have faced delays. The Argentine judiciary has continued to pursue the investigation, with judges analyzing evidence and testimonies. There have been appeals and procedural maneuvers by Menem’s defense team. As of the latest updates, a final definitive conviction against Menem related to this specific bribery case has not been secured.
Evidence Presented
The evidence presented in the case is a combination of witness statements, financial forensic data, and documentary proof pointing to corrupt practices tied to the arms deal with Saudi Arabia involving Thales. Testimony from involved businessmen and intermediaries alleging that bribes were paid to secure the contracts, financial records indicating suspicious transfers of funds, internal documents from the French company, and covert communications suggesting corrupt dealings, as well as forensic accounting and audit trails examining money flow related to these defense contracts, have all been presented as evidence.
Recent Developments
In October 2020, information from Switzerland was made public, indicating that the Swiss justice system would send data on bank accounts belonging to Menem and other officials in the context of the Thales case. A French repentant, Lionel Queudot, the Geneva fiduciary who allegedly facilitated the triangulation of $25 million in alleged bribes, was involved in the operation, implicating Neuss, Menem, and the company Thales.
In a separate case, Menem's appeal for a trial by oral jury for the allocation of the radioelectric spectrum was rejected by the Federal Chamber's Second Court in Buenos Aires. Menem was accused of receiving money to facilitate the concession and having acted in collusion with the officials of the National Communications Commission and the directors of Thales Spectrum Argentina SA to obtain an undue profit for the company. An embargo on Menem's money or assets up to $200,000,000 was ordered by the judge in this case.
Investigative Journalism
For more updates on this ongoing case, you can follow investigative journalist dsantoro@our website, a judicial editor who has been closely following the developments in this case.
Stay tuned for more updates as this complex legal saga continues to unfold.
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