A federal court on Friday ordered the arrest of six people convicted in the so-called “K money trail” corruption case, which investigated former presidents Néstor and Cristina Kirchner, among other political figures.

The decision was made one day after the Supreme Court rejected their and Cristina Kirchner’s request for acquittal.

The Oral Federal Court number 4 summoned Julio Mendoza, Juan De Rasis, César Fernández, Eduardo Castro, Fabián Rossi and Carlos Molinari — all convicted of money laundering — to be arrested next Monday at 10:30 a.m. in the Buenos Aires Federal Court.

Prosecutor Abel Córdoba had demanded the men’s arrest because they received sentences of more than three years, meaning they must serve jail time. The Supreme Court’s Thursday ruling means their appeals are exhausted.

The K money trail case stemmed from a 2013 journalistic investigation by Jorge Lanata. According to the investigation, Lázaro Baez, a businessman allegedly linked to the Kirchners, diverted money intended for public infrastructure to tax havens. The funds allegedly came from government contracts signed for a significantly higher price than the true value of the services provided, with the difference being sent abroad.

Báez was sentenced to ten years in prison.

In June 2023, Judge Sebastián Casanello dropped charges against Kirchner after Prosecutor Guillermo Marijuan announced he had not found any evidence that she was involved in Báez’s money laundering.

However, five months later, the Federal Appeals Chamber reopened the investigation against Kirchner after Bases Republicanas — an NGO linked to PRO, former President Mauricio Macri’s party — became a plaintiff in the case and appealed for Casanello’s decision to be revoked. This means Kirchner is still being investigated.

Kirchner was also convicted of fraud in a separate case, known as “Vialidad,” in December 2022, and sentenced to six years in prison and a lifelong ban on holding public office. The court found that she had arranged for 51 public works contracts in Santa Cruz province to go to a company belonging to Lázaro Báez.

Earlier this month, Interim Argentine Attorney General Eduardo Casal sent a letter to the Supreme Court arguing that Kirchner’s sentence in that case should be doubled. The defense, on the other hand, filed an appeal with the country’s top court asking that Kirchner be acquitted. The Supreme Court is the final instance of appeal on the case, and there is no timetable for when it will deliver its verdict. 

Kirchner has always maintained she is innocent in both cases.

The K money trail ruling comes as Peronism, Argentina’s main political opposition force, is on the ropes: their city legislator candidates didn’t manage to secure the top spot in local elections where a number of analysts expected them to take advantage of a fragmented right. 

The fight now moves to Buenos Aires Province, where Kirchner’s former political protégé-turned-rival Governor Axel Kicillof chose to split the local and national election dates, a move that enraged his former mentor. The pair’s dispute has split their Justicialist Party.

Kirchner has not yet defined whether she will run for Buenos Aires Province’s September legislative elections, or for October’s national elections. If the Supreme Court confirms her sentence in the Vialidad case before then, she will not be able to run. 

Last Sunday, she gave a speech criticizing Milei’s economic program and calling for political activists “to be able to see beyond the next election and, fundamentally, to leave aside the pettiness and egos that have done so much damage and have caused useless fragmentation.”

On Monday, Kirchner is giving an interview on the Herald‘s sister channel, C5N.