The federal court of Chaco Province, Argentina, on Monday (July 21) authorized Prosecutor Patricio Sabadini and Judge Zunilda Niremperger to lift the tax, banking, and financial secrecy of Pastor Jorge Ledesma, his family, a foundation, and a company linked to the Iglesia Cristiana Internacional (International Christian Church), according to media reports.
The move aims to investigate possible money laundering and tax evasion schemes that allegedly financed the construction of a recently inaugurated church where President Javier Milei delivered a speech, as previously reported by Diario Cristiano.
The court's decision includes requests for information from the Central Bank, the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), and the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA). The investigation is based on Argentina’s Tax Criminal Law and regulations targeting money laundering and asset concealment.
One of the irregularities uncovered is the church’s failure to file financial statements with Chaco's Public Registry of Commerce since 2016. “We don’t know how they spend their money or how much income they’ve received since then,” a judicial source said.
So far, there are no formal charges or indictments in the case. The main obstacle for investigators is the large number of anonymous donations from churchgoers, which complicates efforts to trace the origin of the funds.
In recent months, Ledesma and his congregation have held a “School of Supernatural Finances” in Chaco, promising prosperity through a model in which five out of seven methods involved donations to the pastor. Prosecutors suspect these methods may have been used to launder money from suspicious sources.
The investigation began ex officio following the so-called “$100,000 miracle,” an incident in which Ledesma allegedly received that amount through supposed blessings.
The Economic Crime and Money Laundering Prosecutor’s Office (Procelac) is expected to join the investigation once the winter judicial recess ends.
The “Heaven’s Gate” Church
The Iglesia Cristiana Internacional recently inaugurated a church in the city of Resistencia called “Portal del Cielo” (“Heaven’s Gate”), with a capacity for 15,000 people. It has been presented as the largest evangelical auditorium in Argentina. Judicial estimates suggest the construction cost at least US$50 million, though engineering and architectural experts will be brought in to determine the exact value.
Cristian Ledesma, the pastor’s son, has publicly claimed several “wealth miracles,” including money multiplying and rings transforming from plastic into diamonds. According to him, such events helped fund the church's construction.
With more than 30 years of operation, the church reportedly has over 50,000 active members, a presence in more than 40 countries, and ties to provincial political power. It also runs community outreach programs, including soup kitchens, food banks, and donation drives in vulnerable areas of Chaco.
The investigation remains in a preliminary phase with no formal charges, but the lifting of financial secrecy may provide key insights into the financial activities of Ledesma, his family, and affiliated entities. The involvement of Procelac and upcoming financial audits are expected to deepen the inquiry.
The case touches on a sensitive intersection of faith, economic prosperity, and potential financial misconduct—a phenomenon that has gained visibility in Argentina and across Latin America.
The court’s decision to lift banking secrecy on the so-called “pastor of miraculous dollars” marks a significant step forward in a probe that could determine whether funds donated in faith were misused. The case is further complicated by the scale of the church, the number of donors, and the internal practices of the church, which until now have largely operated outside the reach of government oversight.
Originally published on Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
