U.S. Has 49 Tapes From Argentine Election Plot Probe...

By David Voreacos and Carlyn Kolker

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. prosecutors disclosed the existence of dozens of audiotapes and videotapes from a probe of five men accused of covering up a clandestine attempt to provide $800,000 to influence the presidential election in Argentina.

Prosecutors in a court filing catalogued their evidence against the men accused of trying to silence Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson, a Florida businessman allegedly acting as a courier for the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. U.S. authorities say the cash was meant to help fund the campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, elected president of Argentina on Oct. 28, succeeding her husband Nestor.

After flying from Venezuela to Buenos Aires on Aug. 4, Antonini claimed a suitcase bearing the $800,000, and Argentine airport authorities seized the bag. Prosecutors say the cover-up plot included a $2 million bribe offer to Antonini and a threat to his children. Included in the filing in Miami federal court is an agreement between prosecutors and Antonini, who helped make recordings for the U.S. government.

"The government entered into a written agreement with Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson, a prospective government witness,'' prosecutors said in the filing, made in response to a judge's order for the U.S. to turn over pre-trial evidence to the defendants. Prosecutors said they'll provide evidence to defense attorneys in a few days.

Meddling

The five men were charged with conspiracy and acting as unregistered agents of the Venezuelan government. Dubbed the "suitcase scandal'' by the Argentine media, the incident has led political leaders in Venezuela and Argentina to accuse the U.S. of meddling in their internal affairs.

Last month, former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner called on U.S. authorities to extradite Antonini to face Argentine justice.

U.S. authorities arrested four of the five men on Dec. 11. An indictment on Dec. 20 referred to 15 meetings or telephone conversations recorded between Aug. 23 and Dec. 11. The filing yesterday said the Federal Bureau of Investigation made five audiotapes on Dec. 11 alone. In all, the government said it has 41 audiotapes and eight videotapes tapes made during the probe.

Those charged were: Carlos Kauffmann, 36; Moises Maionica, 36; Franklin Duran, 40; Rodolfo Wanseele Paciello, 40; and Antonio Jose Canchica Gomez, 37. Canchica is considered a fugitive. The other four men are in custody and have entered not guilty pleas. They face as much as 10 years in prison if convicted.

Venezuelan Intelligence

An attorney for Kauffmann, Jack Denaro, declined to comment. Attorneys for the other three men in custody did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The government said its evidence includes an eight-page summary of a statement by Duran after his arrest, a five-page summary of Maionica's statement, a five-page summary of Kauffmann's statement, and a two-page summary of Wanseele's statement.

Prosecutors said in the court filing that the evidence includes a white, 2003 Ford Focus LX. Wanseele used the car to drive Canchica to a meeting with Antonini, a U.S. prosecutor said at a court hearing.

The Buenos Aires-based newspaper La Nacion reported on Dec. 18 that Canchica works as an electronic-communications specialist for Venezuela's intelligence agency and is based in Cuba.

The case is U.S. v. Moises Maionica, 07-cr-20999, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami).

To contact the reporter on this story: Carlyn Kolker in New York at ckolker@bloomberg.net and David Voreacos in Newark, New Jersey at dvoreacos@bloomberg.net .