Simply put
- An Argentine judge has frozen assets connected to Hayden Davis and two alleged intermediaries related to the Libra meme coin controversy.
- Investigators found that shortly after President Milley shared a selfie with Davis, the CEO of Kelscher Ventures, he transferred $507,500 using the BitGet cryptocurrency exchange.
- Although there isn’t solid proof that the funds actually reached Milley, Argentina’s public prosecutor’s office suggested this could indicate a potential indirect payment to a public official.
An Argentine judge has taken steps to freeze funds tied to Hayden Davis, entangled in the Libra meme coin scandal. The investigation suggests there could have been indirect payments to public officials. It all started when Davis, noted for launching the Solana token, sent a significant amount shortly after President Milley’s notable selfie.
Just 42 minutes after that post, Davis moved $507,500 through BitGet, raising eyebrows. However, there’s no concrete evidence that those funds made their way to Milley or anyone connected to him. Still, the public prosecutor’s office has posited that it could be seen as an indirect payment.
Consequently, the court has ordered the freezing of assets linked to Davis, along with intermediaries Fabio Camilo Rodríguez Blanco and Orlando Rodolfo Merino. Reports suggest Blanco played a role in moving cash through a safe deposit box shortly after Libra’s rapid decline.
The asset freeze is a result of insights from the Office of Financial Investigation and Recovery of Illegal Assets, and it will persist until matters are resolved. Libra was launched with the intention of supporting small businesses in Argentina and had a market value reaching billions before crashing dramatically, prompting Milley to delete his post.
It’s interesting to note that the U.S. lawsuit differs in focus, highlighting the role of Meteora co-founder Benjamin Chow while downplaying Milley’s involvement, in contrast to Argentina’s emphasis on Davis and other lobbyists.
Documents from an Argentine court also reveal that before Libra’s rollout, discussions took place between lobbyist Mauricio Novelli and President Milley regarding a project aimed at monetizing the president’s image. Novelli defended this, claiming the president’s image was personal property and not a violation of public laws.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., a class action suit alleges that both Javier Milley and Melania Trump were used as “legitimizing props” in a scheme involving fraudulent tokens. Initial reports indicate $58 million in assets linked to Davis and Chow were frozen, but there’s been skepticism about whether plaintiffs will ultimately succeed.
As of now, Kelscher Ventures, Novelli, and Terrones Godoy have not responded to requests for comments.
