Argentina's ex-president Kirchner prosecuted for embezzlement

Argentina's former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (2007-2015) was prosecuted on Tuesday for embezzlement and organized crime.

Federal Judge Julian Ercolini initiated the prosecution proceedings, and ordered the embargo of one billion pesos (625 million U.S. dollars) in assets belonging to the former head of state.

Fernandez "was prosecuted today as a member of a criminal organization that committed the crime of aggravated embezzlement," state news agency Telam quoted Ercolini as saying.

Three others were also prosecuted for the same charges, including former Planning Minister Julio De Vido, former Secretary of Public Works Jose Lopez and businessman Lazaro Baez.

The judge's decision springs from an investigation into the "assignation of 80 percent of public works projects," mainly road building, in Argentina's southern Santa Cruz province to companies which belong to Baez.

The judge also ordered all bank accounts belonging to the four to be frozen, except for accounts to which pensions or salaries are paid.

In Argentina, organized crime carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Ercolini's decision can be appealed at a federal court in Buenos Aires, the agency said.

Lopez is already behind bars, being prosecuted on charges of illicit enrichment "after having been caught trying to hide bags with 9 million dollars in a monastery" in Greater Buenos Aires.

Baez is in preventive custody on charges of money laundering.

This isn't the first time Fernandez has been prosecuted for crimes while in office since her party lost the presidential elections in 2014. Endite