Argentina seeks U.S. investigation into Eskenazi family and YPF share acquisition

The Argentine government is conducting confidential negotiations in Washington to urge the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a criminal investigation into the Eskenazi family and the Petersen Group. The initiative focuses on the 2008 acquisition of a 25% stake in the state oil company YPF during the Kirchner administration.

Argentine officials aim to prove that the transaction involved financial fraud and irregularities that affected the U.S. market. By establishing that the original acquisition was fraudulent, the state hopes to delegitimize ongoing multi-billion dollar legal claims in New York courts, specifically those pursued by Burford Capital. This strategy follows a recent favorable ruling by a New York appeals court that overturned a previous decision requiring Argentina to pay over $16 billion in damages.

To support these efforts, the administration has reportedly engaged a private intelligence firm in Washington to produce technical reports for bilateral meetings with U.S. officials.