Prosecutors in Argentina have demanded a 12-year prison sentence and a professional ban for neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, alleging gross negligence and indirect intentional homicide in the 2020 death of football icon Diego Maradona. The high-stakes legal proceedings at a San Isidro tribunal near Buenos Aires entered their final phase on Thursday.
Nearly six years after Diego Maradona died at a rented residence in Tigre on November 25, 2020, the second attempt by Argentine justice to establish penal accountability reached its closing arguments at the San Isidro tribunal near Buenos Aires. The current proceedings have spanned 45 court sessions with over 100 testimonies and statements analyzed by judges Alberto Gaig, Pablo Rolon, and Alberto Ortolani.
During Thursday’s hearing, prosecutor Patricio Ferrari divided the seven defendants into two distinct groups based on their alleged culpability. Prosecutors asserted that the medical team operated an anarchic, chaotic structure that left the vulnerable patient abandoned to his fate.
Prosecutors Seek 12 Years for Leopoldo Luque
The harshest penalty requested by the prosecution targets neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, 44, who served as Maradona’s trusted physician and a central decision-maker during his post-surgical recovery at home. Prosecutors requested 12 years behind bars alongside a 10-year prohibition from practicing medicine, citing indirect intentional homicide.
According to the prosecution, Luque maintained an attitude of doing nothing despite glaring warning signs such as heart failure and edema. Ferrari argued that the defendants anticipated the risks to the patient yet accepted them with indifference.
Prosecution Charges Against the Medical Team
- Nancy Forlini: Insurance coordinator for Swiss Medical, facing 10 years in prison and a 10-year professional ban (GSP)
- Agustina Cosachov: Psychiatrist who participated in medical decisions alongside Luque, facing 8 years in prison (Evenimentul Zilei)
- Carlos Diaz: Psychologist, facing 5 years in prison under lesser charges of criminal negligence (Agerpres)
- Mariano Perroni and Ricardo Almiron: Nursing coordinator and nurse, respectively, facing 4 years each (Agerpres)
Meanwhile, prosecutors dropped all charges against clinician Pedro Di Spagna, arguing that he consulted Maradona only once during convalescence and lacked the authority or responsibility to influence the patient’s living conditions or care.
Details Emerge From the Tigre Residence
The prosecution detailed alarming deficiencies at the residential property in Tigre where Maradona was transferred following his surgery for a subdural hematoma. Ferrari described the former footballer as a ticking time bomb upon his discharge, asserting that the defendants moved him to a house completely unequipped for a complex patient.
There were no gloves, gauze, infusers, first-aid kit, defibrillator, ambulance, or anything that had been promised. It was an absolute void; that house had nothing.
Testifying during the proceedings, family members including Verónica Ojeda expressed deep anguish over the state of the quarters, noting the absence of basic appliances and sanitary provisions in the room where Maradona spent his final days. Forensic medical experts confirmed during the trial that Maradona suffered from significant fluid accumulation across multiple organs over several days rather than experiencing a sudden, unforeseeable cardiac arrest.
Defendants Deny Responsibility in San Isidro
Throughout the legal proceedings, the defendants have denied individual criminal responsibility, pointing instead to Maradona’s pre-existing, fragile state of health and arguing that their duties were strictly limited in scope. Defense teams have also engaged in mutual blame during hearings, with coordinators like Nancy Forlini asserting that decisions rested with Luque and Cosachov.
The courtroom sessions in San Isidro were witnessed by Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Gianinna, alongside Claudia Villafañe and Verónica Ojeda. Following the prosecution’s closing arguments, the trial will proceed with civil plaintiff statements and defense presentations before the tribunal issues its final verdict, following an earlier proceeding in 2025 that was annulled after a judge authorized an unauthorized documentary about the case.