City mayor denies campaign ties to head of human trafficking ring

After recent accusations that Mauricio Macri’s mayoral campaign had ties to the leader of a prostitution and human trafficking ring, the mayor denied knowing him as well as receiving any donations from him.

Macri denied ever meeting Raúl Luis Martins Coggiola, a former SIDE agent and alleged leader of a prostitution and human trafficking ring operating in Argentine and Mexican nightclubs.

“I don’t know him. The president of the PRO party has already said that he never donated any money to us,” Macri said in a press conference. 

The mayor admitted, however, knowing Gabriel Conde, son of Luis Conde, a former vice-president of the Boca Juniors football club back when Macri was president of the institution in the 90s. 

Gabriel Conde currently faces charges after accusations of being a “pimp,” and according to recently-published photos he may have a close relationship with Martins.

“Conde is the son of a former vice-president of Boca,” Macri explained. 

Regarding the alleged emails showed in court that prove Martins’ donations to Macri’s campaign via Conde, the mayor replied that he can “show 200 documents stating the same thing. What matters is that we have not received any money from him.”

He also distanced himself from the accusation’s current investigative stated. 

“Human trafficking is a federal crime, so it’s not up to the City to investigate them. This should be the National Government’s and the Federal Police’s concern,” he added.

The prostitution and human trafficking investigation against Martins began after his own daughter, Lorena, pressed charges against him after working with him for several years.