Ex-Maradona bodyguard arrested for false testimony

Coria, who served as Maradona's bodyguard, was taken into custody on Tuesday for giving false testimony during his statement to the court, which is hearing the case against seven healthcare workers accused of manslaughter in connection with the football icon's death.

Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari told the court: "The witness is being blatantly dishonest." According to the prosecution and later confirmed by the judges, Coria committed perjury by giving statements that contradicted evidence gathered during the investigation.

The main inconsistency in his testimony was his relationship with Maradona's personal physician and neurosurgeon, Leopoldo Luque. Coria denied any connection with Luque, claiming he had never spoken to him, neither during the former footballer's home admission nor afterwards.

However, numerous pieces of evidence, including text messages between the two, presented in the hearing on Tuesday, revealed that Coria had exchanged several conversations with Luque over time and that they referred to each other as "friends".

In one of the messages, Coria wrote to Luque: "How are you, my friend? I support you completely, count on me for anything you need". To which Coria responded in court: "I don't recall speaking to him, honestly, I don't remember."

Other contradictions in the bodyguard's testimony involved the people who tried to resuscitate Maradona when he was found in the room where he died, at a house where he had been receiving home care.

Fernando Burlando, the lawyer for two of Maradona's daughters, requested "the extraction of testimony to involve the Public Prosecutor's Office in the investigation" and demanded the "immediate detention" of the witness for committing "perjury".

Following this request, the judges granted it, and Maradona's former bodyguard was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs. Also giving testimony on Tuesday were Andrea Flavia Jordan, a real estate agent who managed the house rental, Santiago Giorello, the property's owner, and Jana Maradona, one of his daughters, who is both a complainant and a witness in the case.

Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60. A forensic report presented by the prosecution revealed that he was suffering from severe liver, heart and lung conditions at the time of his death.

The accused in this trial include neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychoanalyst Carlos Diaz, Nancy Forlini, doctor and coordinator at Swiss Medical, Pedro Di Spagna, nurse coordinator Mariano Perroni, and nurse Ricardo Almiron.

Nurse Gisela Madrid is also under investigation and has requested a jury trial. She will be tried separately in the second half of 2025, once the main trial has concluded.

Judges Maximiliano Savarino, Veronica Di Tommaso and Julieta Makintach will determine whether seven of the eight accused are guilty of simple homicide with eventual intent, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.