TheYomagate was apolitical scandal that took place inArgentina in 1991, during the government ofCarlos Menem. The name combines the last name of the involved (Amira Yoma), and the suffix "Gate" of habitual use in journalism after theWatergate scandal (USA, 1972–1974).
The cause of Yomagate was an investigation of acocaine trafficking operation. According to the investigation, large sums of drug money from the U.S. city of New York would have been destined to Argentina, to be laundered by various financial transactions, with the purchase of real estate, jewelry or entrepreneurship. Another portion of the money was to be diverted at the same time toUruguay.[1]
The cause of Yomagate involved the secretary and sister-in-law of then Argentine president Carlos Menem, her ex-husband Ibrahim al-Ibrahim (co-director of customs at theEzeiza airport) and various notorious drug traffickers and launderers likeMonzer al-Kassar.[2]
Amira Yoma went under preventive detention, which was overruled by the head of the Chamber the Federal Criminal Court Luisa Riva Aramayo; the investigation was cancelled and the investigation cleared all suspects of all charges.[3]
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