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Three men went on trial June 29 in Lomas de Zamora, Argentina, over the 2023 murder of crypto millionaire Fernando “Lechuga” Pérez Algaba, who prosecutors allege was lured to a property and shot over a disputed debt exceeding $50,000.
The trial of three accused men opened on June 29 in Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, with prosecutors alleging that crypto millionaire Fernando “Lechuga” Pérez Algaba was murdered on July 18, 2023, after arriving to collect the first installment of money he was owed.
Authorities say the killing was motivated by financial gain and an attempt to retain ownership of valuable land linked to the disputed debt.
According to prosecutors, crypto millionaire Fernando Pérez Algaba, 41, traveled to a property known as Renacer in General Rodríguez after being told he would receive the first US$20,000 payment toward a debt of more than US$50,000.
Investigators allege that the meeting had been carefully orchestrated to convince the crypto millionaire that repayment was finally underway. The arrangement reportedly included a notarized debt agreement signed at an office in Castelar, which prosecutors say was intended to persuade him to attend the meeting.
Once at the property, prosecutors allege Pérez Algaba was asked to change a light bulb inside an office. While doing so, he was shot twice in the back from close range. According to Argentine news outlet Infobae, the bullets passed through his lungs and liver, killing him.
“The bait… was a notarized debt agreement signed at an office in Castelar, staged to convince him the money was finally coming and to draw him to the meeting,” Infobae reported.
Authorities say notary Carolina Cerrato, who handled the debt documentation, is expected to play a significant role as a witness during the trial.
The prosecution argues that greed was the driving force behind the killing of the crypto millionaire.
According to investigators, defendants Maximiliano Pilepich and Nahuel Sebastián Vargas allegedly owed Pérez Algaba money connected to land transactions involving 17 plots within the Renacer gated community project. Rather than repay the debt, prosecutors allege they plotted to murder him.
“Killed for money.” — Marcela Dimundo, Trial Prosecutor
Marcela Dimundo, the trial prosecutor, told the court that the crypto millionaire was simply “killed for money,” summarizing what prosecutors describe as the central motive behind the crime.
Three defendants Maximiliano Pilepich, Nahuel Sebastián Vargas and Matías Gil are standing trial before a 12-member jury at Criminal Court No. 9 of Lomas de Zamora on charges of aggravated homicide.
According to Infobae, cellphone tower records allegedly place Gil with Pérez Algaba on the day of the killing. Prosecutors also allege that Gil collected the signed debt documents shortly before the meeting.
Pilepich and Vargas have reportedly blamed one another for the fatal shooting, leaving unresolved the question of who fired the shots.
Following the alleged murder, prosecutors say the crypto millionaire’s body was dismembered and concealed inside a red suitcase, a backpack and plastic bags before being dumped in the Arroyo del Rey stream in Ingeniero Budge.
The case drew national attention after children playing near the stream discovered the first human remains on July 23, 2023. Authorities later recovered Pérez Algaba’s severed head and torso.
Investigators identified the crypto millionaire through fingerprint analysis and his distinctive body tattoos, according to the Buenos Aires Times.
The victim had built a substantial social media following of approximately 900,000 Instagram followers, regularly sharing images of luxury cars, yachts and private jets.
Reports say he began earning money as a teenager selling sandwiches from a bicycle before expanding into luxury vehicle rentals and cryptocurrency investments, eventually relocating to Barcelona while maintaining business interests connected to Argentina.
The crypto millionaire case extends beyond the three men currently on trial.
According to Noticias Argentinas, prosecutors intend to separately prosecute Flavia Bomrad, who allegedly helped lure Pérez Algaba into the meeting.
Former police commissioner Horacio Córdoba is also expected to face trial over allegations that he helped dismember the victim’s body.
Fernando Carrizo and Luis Contreras have been accused of assisting in transporting the remains, while Blanca Gladys Cristaldo faces an aggravated cover-up charge for allegedly sheltering Pilepich while he was a fugitive.
The trial, which began on June 29, is scheduled to continue until July 9. If convicted, the three principal defendants could each receive life imprisonment under Argentine law.
The proceedings remain one of Argentina’s most closely watched criminal cases, highlighting the deadly consequences that prosecutors say can arise when financial disputes escalate into violent crime involving a crypto millionaire.
The case recalls another high-profile incident from last November, when a cryptocurrency investor and his wife were found dead in the desert outside Dubai, prompting investigators to examine whether the victim’s digital asset holdings played a role in the killings.
Sources: xlnews
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