Argentine Ex-Mayor Won 260 Times at Casino: Money Laundering Probe Launched

^{Photo: Former mayor Caetano Canto}

Former mayor of the Argentine city of Saldán, Cayetano Canto, is under investigation for potential money laundering after an extraordinary run of luck at the casino and lottery. Canto managed to win at the casino 260 times in just 18 months, between 2020 and 2021. During the same period, he also hit the local lottery jackpot 5 times, AD reports.

Law enforcement authorities are now scrutinizing Canto’s improbable winning streak, suspecting that he may have used the casino and lottery as fronts to launder illicit funds.

“We are in a position to affirm that a large part of the profits and gains obtained from such actions were the subject of laundering operations, which would have consisted of the purchase/sale of real estate, motor vehicles, securities and other assets, several of them for different values. to those on the market and acquired with money of illicit origin”, stated Enrique Senestrari, the federal prosecutor of Córdoba handling the case.

According to the prosecution, Canto may have laundered approximately $240,000.

In addition to the former mayor, three of his children, including a professional footballer for the Argentine club Racing, are also facing accusations of money laundering.

Canto served as mayor of Saldán from 2015 to 2023 and currently holds the position of city councilor in the same city.