アルゼンチン大統領、「暗号資産詐欺」への関与を否定　検察庁が調査へ

【ブエノスアイレスＡＦＰ＝時事】アルゼンチンのハビエル・ミレイ大統領は１７日、自身が言及した暗号資産（仮想通貨）が急落し、投資家に数十億ドルの損失をもたらしたとの批判に対し、関与を否定した。連邦検察庁は、この問題に関する捜査の準備を進めていると報じられている。（写真は、暗号資産を称賛したアルゼンチンのハビエル・ミレイ大統領について報じる同国の新聞。ブエノスアイレスで）
　ミレイ氏はニュースチャンネルＴＮのインタビューで、「私は推奨したのではなく、単に紹介しただけだ」と主張。「政府は関与していない。これは民間の問題だ」と述べた上で、「私は善意で行動した」と弁明した。
　問題となっているのは、ミレイ氏が１４日夜にＳＮＳで暗号資産「＄ＬＩＢＲＡ」を称賛したことに端を発する。その後、同資産の時価総額は急上昇したものの、短期間で急落。ミレイ氏は数時間後に投稿を削除し、「誤りを犯した」と認めた。
　報道によれば、検察庁はミレイ氏の行為が詐欺や職権乱用に該当する可能性、さらには犯罪組織との関与の有無について調査を進める方針だという。
　国内の経済学者や暗号資産の専門家、野党議員らは、「無政府資本主義者」を自称する経済学者でもあるミレイ氏を厳しく批判。今回の事態は投資詐欺に相当する可能性があるとの見方を示している。
　告発団体の一つであるＮＧＯ「都市への権利のための観測所」は、ミレイ氏が「＄ＬＩＢＲＡを用いた詐欺を行う犯罪組織」に加担し、「４万人以上に総額４０億ドル（約６１００億円）を超える損失をもたらした」疑いがあると指摘している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/02/18-16:58）

Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday denied promoting a cryptocurrency that crashed, losing investors billions of dollars and prompting a flood of complaints, as prosecutors reportedly prepare an investigation into the scandal.
I did not promote it, I spread it, Milei told broadcaster TN, adding that it is a problem between private parties because the State does not play a role here.
I acted in good faith, he said.
Argentina's federal prosecutor's office will examine whether Milei engaged in fraud or criminal association or was in breach of his duties when he praised the $LIBRA cryptocurrency on social media Friday evening, according to news reports.
The currency's value soared then crashed, and Milei deleted his blessing hours later, saying he had made a mistake.
Argentine economists, crypto specialists and opposition political figures criticized the self-declared anarcho-capitalist president, an economist by training, and said the digital asset could be a fraud or a Ponzi scheme.
Industry observers said the operation was likely a rug pull -- a scam where developers unveil a crypto token, attract investors, then quickly cash out.
Rights NGO Observatory for the Right to the City, one of several complainants, alleges Milei formed part of a criminal organization that organized a fraud with the $LIBRA cryptocurrency that simultaneously affected more than 40,000 people with losses of more than $4 billion.
The Kobeissi Letter, a publication that provides analysis on global capital markets, said on X Friday that within minutes of its launch, multiple large holders began liquidating MILLIONS of USD worth of $LIBRA.
This included gains of +$4 million or more as $LIBRA rose to $4.6 billion in market (capitalization), it reported.
On Monday, Milei said he had nothing to hide from an investigation.
He said that those who carried out the transactions, including a lot of bots, were people who knew very well what the risk was.
Nevertheless, former president and opposition figure Cristina Kirchner called Milei a crypto-scammer and opposition parliamentarians announced they would institute impeachment proceedings against him.
Any such proceedings would be highly unlikely to succeed, however, as they would require a two-thirds majority in the lower house.
Other parties are seeking the creation of a special parliamentary commission to question Milei.
- Improper conduct? -
The Buenos Aires Stock Exchange closed 5.58 percent down Monday from Friday's closing levels, with drops of up to eight percent for some stocks.
The presidency on Saturday announced that Argentina's Anti-Corruption Office would be tasked with determining whether any improper conduct occurred.
It would also create a task force to carry out an urgent investigation into the launch of the cryptocurrency $LIBRA, and all companies or individuals involved.
The prosecutor's office will also look into Julian Peh -- the CEO of companies that participated in the creation of $LIBRA -- as well as Chamber of Deputies president Martin Menem, who had reposted Milei's original endorsement.
Milei said he had learned an interesting lesson from the episode, and that he would have to raise the filters around him.
Political scientist Carlos Germano told AFP that the case affects his (Milei's) credibility, though his efforts to combat inflation -- at its lowest in four years -- remain popular with the electorate.
Milei continued with his duties Monday, hosting Republican US Senator Steve Daines in Buenos Aires. The president is due to visit the United States later this week.