Man posing as Supreme Court minister sentenced to over 3 years for defrauding football club

A Paraguayan court has sentenced Nelson Roa to three years and six months in prison for fraud. Roa impersonated César Diesel, a minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, to swindle the Nacional de Asunción football club. The judge highlighted the gravity of Roa's actions, noting that he exploited the authority of a prominent judicial figure to build trust and deceive the club's president.

Roa, 22, was convicted in an expedited procedure. He is currently serving his sentence at the "Martín Mendoza" Penitentiary in Emboscada. The prosecutor, Cleider Acosta, agreed to the expedited process, which was proposed by Roa's defense lawyer, Osvaldo Arrúa.

In his ruling, Judge Yoan Paul López stated that the crime of fraud is not solely defined by the outcome but also by the perpetrator's actions and the circumstances. He stressed that Roa's misuse of a high-ranking official's name and position significantly increased the legal reproach for his conduct. This tactic aimed to generate credibility and confidence by invoking a public figure of institutional importance.

The judge further elaborated that Roa's actions not only targeted the victim's assets but also undermined public trust and confidence in institutions and the justice system. These elements, he argued, require strong protection from criminal law.

Meanwhile, the prosecution is still to decide the fate of Roa's accomplice, Tatiana Magalí Chamorro Giménez. The defense requested a conditional suspension of the proceedings for her, to which the prosecutor also agreed. However, a final decision on her case is pending.