A criminal complaint filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office on September 11, 2026, calls for an investigation into alleged irregular charges made to restaurants on behalf of the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Municipality of Asunción. The case involves people who have not yet been formally identified and who allegedly presented themselves as municipal inspectors and offered to regularize documents in exchange for payments.
The request was filed with the Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption Unit by Asunción city council candidate Bruno Martínez and attorney Maximiliano Seiferheld. The document preliminarily mentions possible crimes of passive corruption, aggravated coercion, extortion and improper charging. The accusations still need to be verified by the authorities.
According to the account, the alleged inspectors would visit establishments during lunch, dinner or breakfast, point out various administrative violations and mention fines of varying amounts. They would then offer help obtaining certificates, training, spreadsheets and medical examinations required for municipal procedures. They also allegedly requested free meals at the restaurant and an advance payment equal to half the service fee.
Conversations attached to the complaint allegedly indicate that documents or money could be left at the municipal headquarters itself through a “secretary.” Seiferheld said the case would include the alleged issuance of a fake certificate and that other business owners had reported similar situations. The statement is part of the accusation, without independent confirmation that an organized structure exists.
The only individual named in the document is Diego Emmanuel Giménez Solís, the account holder who received three transfers made by the owner of a restaurant near downtown Asunción. The transfers were 750,000 guaraníes on April 13, 750,000 guaraníes on April 16 and 200,000 guaraníes on June 3, 2026. The payments, made through Banco Familiar and Ueno Bank, totaled 1.7 million guaraníes and included references such as “Municipality Document Payment.”
The complaint requests forensic examinations of the phones containing the conversations, statements from those involved and information from the Municipality of Asunción. It also asks the municipality to clarify whether Giménez Solís has or had an employment or contractual relationship with the institution and to provide the list of inspectors and records of inspections carried out in the area.
Hours after the case was made public, Seiferheld posted on Instagram that Giménez Solís had allegedly returned part of the money. Any repayment does not, by itself, establish the source of the payments or the involvement of municipal employees. The investigation must determine whether the alleged activity involved an individual, outside fraud or other people.