Judge proceeds in case against ex-President Fernandez

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A federal judge has formally charged former Argentina President Cristina Fernandez and her two children with money laundering and running a criminal association that received bribes from businesspeople.

Judge Claudio Bonadio also ordered the retention of about $8.3 million worth of Fernandez’s assets and banned her and her children Maximo and Florencia Kirchner from leaving the country. Tuesday’s decision was published on a court website.

The judge indicated that he did not order the three to be detained during trial because he did not consider them a flight risk.

Fernandez and the two children she had with her late husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner, can appeal. She has charged that they are being persecuted by the courts and the media.