José López Under Investigation: Which Convictions Are Final, Which Are Subject to Appeal, and Which Cases Remain Open in the File of the Former “Handbag Secretary”

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Updated: 7 de October, 2026Last verified: 7 de October, 2026

José López, Argentina’s Secretary of Public Works from 2003 to 2015, is the most recognizable symbol of corruption during the Kirchner era. In June 2016, he was filmed dumping bags containing nearly $9 million, jewelry, and a gun at a convent in General Rodríguez. Since then, he has accumulated three final convictions, which were consolidated in December 2025 into a single 13-year prison sentence. He can still appeal a fourth conviction, handed down in September 2026. In addition, he is a defendant in the “Cuadernos” trial and faces charges related to Odebrecht bribes in connection with the Sarmiento train underground extension project. This report distinguishes between what the courts have found to be proven and what remains in dispute.

The short answer: José López is the only major figure accused in connection with the Kirchner era to have three final convictions for corruption. He is serving a consolidated sentence of 13 years in prison, set by the Court of Cassation to end in December 2025. His convictions include illicit enrichment, fraudulent administration in the Vialidad case, and illegal possession of a firearm. A fourth conviction, related to the Sueños Compartidos program, was handed down on September 14, 2026, and is not yet final. Two cases remain open: the “Cuadernos” trial and the Odebrecht case involving the Sarmiento train line. López, who confessed as a cooperating witness in 2018, changed his story in 2026 and said he “never” saw Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as the leader of a criminal organization.

Who Is José López and Why Does His Case Matter?

José Francisco López served as Secretary of Public Works during the twelve years of the administrations of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. He reported to the Ministry of Federal Planning, which was headed by Julio De Vido. Furthermore, decisions regarding national public works—the area that would later be investigated in the “Vialidad” and “Cuadernos” cases—passed through his office.

His case matters for one simple reason. In the early morning hours of June 14, 2016, security cameras at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima filmed him. He was throwing bags of money over a wall, according to La Nación. Those images have become an icon of the corruption of that era, and unlike other cases, there are final convictions here. It is, therefore, a useful case for understanding what it means in Argentina for a conviction to become final and how long that process takes. To compare with other cases in the region, Auditoría Abierta publishes a verified list of former presidents convicted of corruption.

The six aspects of the case, with their level of evidence

No. Point What is alleged Court and date Status Level of support
1 Convent Handbags Failed to justify the increase in his net worth as a public official (2003–2015) TOF 1 (June 12, 2019); Court of Cassation (August 2021); Supreme Court (June 1, 2023) Final Sentence: 7 years and 6 months Proven
2 Road Construction Case Fraudulent management of public works projects in Santa Cruz TOF 2 (end of 2022); Appeal to Chamber IV (December 2025) Final, consolidated over 13 years Proven
3 Illegal possession of a firearm He was carrying a Sig Sauer carbine with 25 rounds of ammunition on the night of the incident Mercedes Correctional Court No. 3 (October 2017) Sentence: 1 year and 7 months Proven
4 Shared Dreams Misappropriation of funds from the housing program of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Foundation TOF 5 (September 14, 2026) 2 years and 9 months suspended, subject to appeal Convicted in the trial court
5 “Cuadernos” Case Criminal conspiracy to collect bribes in public works projects (2003–2015) Federal Court of Justice (TOF) No. 7, trial beginning November 6, 2025 On trial, no verdict yet Defendant
6 Odebrecht, Sarmiento train line Bribes related to the subway construction project awarded in 2008 Court presided over by Marcelo Martínez de Giorgi Under investigation; indictment dismissed in 2019 Accused, no current indictment
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Case 1: The Convent Bags, Final Conviction

In the early morning hours of June 14, 2016, López was caught throwing away bags containing nearly US$9 million, jewelry, and a firearm. The incident occurred at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in General Rodríguez, Buenos Aires province, according to La Nación. On June 12, 2019, Federal Oral Court No. 1 sentenced him to six years in prison for illicit enrichment. The court found that he could not justify the increase in his net worth while he headed the Public Works Ministry, according to Perfil.

According to Infobae, the Court of Cassation upheld the conviction in August 2021 and increased the sentence to seven years and six months. It also convicted his wife, María Amalia Díaz, and businessmen Andrés Galera and Eduardo Gutiérrez—president of the Farallón Group—as necessary accomplices. The Supreme Court upheld the ruling on June 1, 2023, according to La Nación. In addition, the court ordered the forfeiture of the seized money and items, which were donated to the Garrahan and Ricardo Gutiérrez pediatric hospitals. It also forfeited his home in Tigre. Furthermore, it permanently barred him from holding public office.

The Bundle of $100,000 and Banco Finansur

Inside the bags was a heat-sealed package containing US$100,000 with stamps from Commerzbank and the U.S. Federal Reserve. At the request of prosecutor Guillermo Osorio, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that this bundle was part of a shipment totaling US$3.2 million. According to Infocielo, Brinks transported it in October 2011 from New York to Banco Finansur in Buenos Aires. At that time, Finansur was owned by Jorge Sánchez Córdova. Infocielo and the Buenos Aires Chamber of Deputies describe him as the former treasurer of the Boca Juniors soccer club during Mauricio Macri’s presidency and a contributor to his 2015 campaign.

This information is documented by the Department of Justice. What has not been proven is that the source of the funds implicates anyone other than López. There are political theories about who the money belonged to, including one made by Julio De Vido in 2019 regarding businessman Nicolás Caputo. These are accusations without judicial backing. The final conviction is for López’s illicit enrichment, not for the origin of each bill.

Front 2: The Vialidad Case, Final Conviction

In late 2022, Federal Oral Court No. 2 convicted López in the Vialidad case, according to Infobae. The crime: fraudulent administration to the detriment of the state. The case investigated the irregular awarding of public works contracts in the province of Santa Cruz. It is the same case in which then-Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was convicted.

Chamber IV of the Federal Criminal Cassation Court upheld this conviction in December 2025. In the same ruling, it consolidated the three final convictions into a single sentence of 13 years in prison, according to Infobae. López is serving this sentence as of October 7, 2026.

Charge 3: Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Final Conviction

In the early morning hours at the convent, López was carrying a Sig Sauer 522LR semi-automatic carbine with 25 rounds of ammunition. For this offense, the Third Correctional Court of Mercedes sentenced him in October 2017 to one year and seven months in prison, according to Perfil. Chamber I of the Mercedes Court of Appeals rejected the defense’s arguments, and the sentence became final. This is the shortest of his convictions. However, it forms part of the consolidated sentence.

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Case 4: Sueños Compartidos, Appealable Sentence

On September 14, 2026, Federal Oral Court No. 5 sentenced López to two years and nine months of suspended imprisonment, according to Infobae. The court found him to be a co-perpetrator of aggravated fraudulent administration. The case investigated the “Sueños Compartidos” social housing program. It was carried out by the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Foundation between 2005 and 2011 using public funds. The amount under investigation was $206,438,454. Sergio and Pablo Schoklender and former official Abel Fatala were also convicted in the same verdict. Former Minister Julio De Vido was acquitted by a majority vote.

According to La Nación, the verdict came just before the statute of limitations expired on a case that began in 2011. The court also ordered forfeiture of an amount equal to the damages. The sentence does not entail actual imprisonment because it is less than three years. The court’s reasoning will be released on November 13, 2026, and the defense teams announced that they will file an appeal with the Court of Cassation. Therefore, this conviction is not final and has not yet been added to the 13-year sentence.

Appendix: Open Cases Without a Verdict

“Cuadernos” Case: From Whistleblower to Defendant

López is one of the 86 defendants in the “Bribery Notebooks” trial, according to Infobae. The trial began on November 6, 2025, before Federal Oral Court No. 7. The trial investigates an alleged criminal conspiracy to collect bribes in public works projects between 2003 and 2015. In 2018, as a cooperating defendant, López had described a system in which construction companies returned between 3% and 5% of the project costs.

On April 30, 2026, he changed his position. He testified at the trial that he “never” saw Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as the leader of an illicit association. He read a written statement without answering questions and attributed his 2018 testimony to having felt compelled to do so, according to La Nación and Infobae. The trial is still ongoing, and no verdict has been reached. His 2018 testimony remains part of the case file.

Odebrecht and the Sarmiento Train Underground Project

López is charged in the case involving alleged bribes paid by Odebrecht in connection with the Sarmiento railway underground project. It is a project worth approximately US$1.5 billion awarded in 2008 to a consortium comprising Odebrecht and IECSA. In April 2019, Judge Marcelo Martínez de Giorgi indicted him along with De Vido, Roberto Baratta, Ricardo Jaime, and Juan Pablo Schiavi. However, in August 2019, the Federal Court of Appeals overturned those indictments due to lack of sufficient grounds, according to Infobae.

On September 30, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the use of evidence from Operation Car Wash in this case, according to Infobae. This cleared the way for the investigation, which is still ongoing. López is not currently facing charges in this case.

So, what has been proven in José López’s case file?

  1. Proven and final: illicit enrichment related to the “convent bags,” 7 years and 6 months, with forfeiture of the money and permanent disqualification from public office. Supreme Court, June 1, 2023.
  2. Proven and final: fraudulent administration in the Vialidad case. Supreme Court appeal, December 2025.
  3. Proven and final: illegal possession of a firearm, 1 year and 7 months. Mercedes, October 2017.
  4. Consolidated sentence: 13 years in prison for the three previous convictions.
  5. Convicted in the trial court, subject to appeal: Sueños Compartidos, 2 years and 9 months suspended, September 14, 2026.
  6. Documented, with no legal involvement of third parties: the bundle of $100,000 came from a wire transfer to Banco Finansur, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
  7. On trial, no verdict yet: the “Cuadernos” case.
  8. Under investigation, no current indictment: Odebrecht and the Sarmiento train.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many years is José López serving?

Thirteen years in prison, under a consolidated sentence handed down by Chamber IV of the Court of Cassation in December 2025. This combines three final convictions. These are illicit enrichment related to the “bags” case (7 years and 6 months), fraudulent administration in the Vialidad case, and illegal possession of a firearm (1 year and 7 months). The sentence in the “Sueños Compartidos” case, handed down in September 2026, is not final and has not yet been added to the total.

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How much money was in José López’s bags?

Nearly US$9 million, in addition to jewelry and a semi-automatic rifle. He dumped them in the early morning hours of June 14, 2016, at a convent in General Rodríguez, Buenos Aires province. The courts seized the money and donated it to the Garrahan and Ricardo Gutiérrez pediatric hospitals.

Is José López’s sentence for the suitcases final?

Yes. The Supreme Court upheld it on June 1, 2023. Federal Oral Court No. 1 had sentenced him to six years in June 2019. Subsequently, the Court of Cassation increased the sentence to seven years and six months in August 2021. The sentence includes a lifetime ban from holding public office.

What happened to José López in the “Sueños Compartidos” case?

On September 14, 2026, Federal Oral Court No. 5 sentenced him to two years and nine months of suspended imprisonment for aggravated fraudulent administration. It also convicted Sergio and Pablo Schoklender and Abel Fatala, and acquitted Julio De Vido. The defense announced that it will appeal, so the conviction is not final.

Did José López testify against Cristina Kirchner in the “Cuadernos” case?

In 2018, he did, as a cooperating defendant: he described a kickback scheme ranging from 3% to 5% in public works projects. However, on April 30, 2026, he stated at the trial that he “never” saw her as the leader of a criminal organization and that he had felt compelled to testify. The trial is still ongoing.

Where did the money in the bags come from?

The court attributed it to López’s illicit enrichment while in office. Only one bundle of $100,000 has documented traceability. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it was part of a US$3.2 million shipment that Brinks delivered in 2011 to Banco Finansur in Buenos Aires. Claims regarding other owners of the money lack judicial support.

Is José López in prison?

He is serving a consolidated sentence of 13 years, set to end in December 2025. Prior to that, he was in custody following his arrest at the convent in June 2016, spending time in pretrial detention and under house arrest as the proceedings unfolded.

What is the “Vialidad” case, and what does José López have to do with it?

It is the case involving the rigged awarding of public works contracts in Santa Cruz during the Kirchner administrations. The Second Federal Oral Court convicted López of fraudulent administration in late 2022. It was the same ruling that convicted Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The Supreme Court upheld the ruling in December 2025.

Sources consulted

This article compiles documented facts and allegations attributed to the individuals mentioned. The mention of an allegation does not imply its veracity, and the responses of the person mentioned are included in each case. Auditoría Abierta offers José López the opportunity to respond and will update the article with any new developments. Information verified as of October 7, 2026.

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