$LIBRA scandal: leaked evidence shows calls incriminating Milei in scam

New evidence leaked by the press on the $LIBRA scam shows that President Javier Milei spoke five times with businessman Mauricio Novelli — accused of introducing Milei to the creator of the token —, minutes before the launch of the cryptocurrency, despite having stated he was not aware of the details of the project that would lead to millionaire losses. On February 14, 2025, Milei posted an X post supporting a new crypto token called $LIBRA, saying it would help fund small businesses in Argentina.  Many investors bought it and its price skyrocketed, but it plummeted to virtually nothing over the next few hours after its developers withdrew large amounts of money from the project. Milei said in an interview that “there were many bots” among the buyers. “At best, there were 5,000 people. And the chances of there being Argentines are very low,” he stated. The president took down his post hours later, when the token’s value had already crashed, saying: “I wasn’t familiar with the details of the project, and after becoming familiar with it, I decided not to continue promoting it (that’s why I deleted the tweet).” He later denied being involved in the $LIBRA project, saying he did not endorse it but merely “shared” it. He added that the post was of a “personal,” not institutional, nature, as his X account does not state he’s the president, but rather describes him as an “Economist”. On that basis, he rejected accusations that he had violated the law by promoting a private investment while being president. The case is being investigated as a scam in Argentina and the United States, the country of origin of the crypto’s creator Hayden Davis, who’s considered the main suspect. Novelli, fellow businessman Manuel Terrones Godoy, and former government advisor Sergio Morales are in the spotlight for their key role in the ruse. Morales, Novelli and Terrones Godoy were present at a meeting between Milei and Davis in October 2024. It is believed the latter two were the ones who introduced Milei to Davis. According to a leaked report, a forensic examination of Novelli’s phone carried out by the General Prosecutors Office not only shows he spoke with Milei five times before the launch of the cryptocurrency and twice minutes after his post, but also with presidential secretary and Milei’s sister, Karina Milei, as well as with presidential advisor Santiago Caputo. A Congressional commission dedicated to investigating the $LIBRA case will give a press conference on Monday at 4 p.m. following the leak of the files. No charges While Milei is being investigated for his role in the Argentine $LIBRA case, he has not been charged with any crime so far. The damning information allegedly found on the leaked files was first revealed by La Nación journalist Hugo Alconada Mon. The Herald has gained access to the documents showing Milei’s ties with Novelli and Davis and is processing the 10,000-page file. Asked about the accusations in an interview with La Nación+ news channel, Chief of Staff and presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said that the government “will never speak about rumors, articles or news analysis” and that the alleged ties with Novelli and Davis are in “a part of the file that should be considered null.” “The judiciary has to continue investigating,” Adorni said, adding that he has known the Milei siblings “for years” and that they are “decent.” This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Cover photo: Mauricio Novelli and Javier Milei