Federal Prosecutor Opens Investigation into Manuel Adorni’s Cryptocurrency Holdings

Federal prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita has ordered a technical investigation into the historical price evolution of Bitcoin to determine if presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni achieved unexplained wealth through undeclared digital assets. The judicial inquiry, centered on a reported $200,000 initial investment made between 2013 and 2018, seeks to verify if the official generated $300,000 in gains while operating outside the formal financial system prior to his government appointment.

The Scope of the Judicial Investigation

The investigation, led by the Dirección de Asistencia Fiscal en Investigaciones (DAFI), focuses on tracing the origin of funds Adorni publicly attributed to savings accumulated “off the books” during his private sector career. Prosecutors are analyzing the traceability of the initial capital to determine if it aligns with the market value of Bitcoin during the 2013–2018 period.

According to court filings, the prosecution has requested documentation from the Administración Nacional de la Seguridad Social (ANSES) and the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA) dating back to 2012. This move aims to cross-reference the official’s declared labor history and income against his reported cryptocurrency portfolio.

Asset Declarations and Financial Discrepancies

In his 2025 sworn statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Office, Adorni reported a total net worth of approximately 945 million pesos. The filing includes significant real estate acquisitions, such as a property in the Indio Cuá country club and an apartment in the Caballito neighborhood, both of which were registered after his entry into the executive branch.

The investigation is currently examining two primary financial points of contention:

• Unreported Assets: The current inquiry notes that Adorni has not yet provided the annex detailing the assets of his spouse, Bettina Angeletti, who is also under scrutiny for alleged illicit enrichment.
• Liability Discrepancies: Judicial analysts are reviewing declared debts that include 317,000 pesos alongside a separate obligation totaling nearly 188,000 dollars.

Digital Footprint and Historical Statements

Beyond financial records, the prosecutor’s office has ordered a “sources of information” analysis (OSINT) to collect all public statements and social media activity regarding cryptocurrency made by Adorni before he joined President Javier Milei’s administration. This measure is intended to establish whether his public commentary on crypto-assets correlates with the timeline of his private investment activities.

Legal Precedent and Next Steps

The objective of the current evidence-gathering phase is to determine if there is a technical justification for the $500,000 increase in net worth identified following recent tax rectifications. Should the DAFI report identify significant inconsistencies between the official’s declared income and his asset growth, the prosecutor may move to summon the spokesperson for an indagatoria—a formal statement in a criminal proceeding.

The case remains in the preliminary investigation stage, with the court prioritizing the authentication of the digital asset transaction records against the official’s tax history. Adorni has not yet released a public statement regarding the specific findings of the prosecutor’s technical audit.