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Scandal ensnares Argentine president
Christina Kirchner faces questions over scandal involving rights body.
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2011 17:26

A corruption scandal rocking one of Argentina's leading human rights organisation is now tainting the country's president, Christina Kirchner.

The rights group, "Mothers of Plaza de Mayo” (The Mothers Organisation) was founded in 1976 during Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship.

Hebe de Bonafini, the group's president, appointed Sergio Schoklender, a man convicted 30 years ago of murdering his parents, as the top executive of a low income housing project run by the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Foundation.

However, it is alleged Sergio, and his brother Pablo, siphoned off millions from the Mothers Foundation into his private companies, buying mansions, airplanes and expensive yachts.
 
It has also reached the higher echelons of power, as the project was financed with nearly $200m of state funds, with Kirchner's backing.

Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman reports from Buenos Aires.
Source:
Al Jazeera
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