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Original article: Las deudas, demandas y polémicas que complican a Katherine Echaiz, esposa del senador Javier Macaya

Companies linked to Katherine Echaiz have amassed over $471 million in debt and are facing civil lawsuits, labor claims, and a recent report made to the Eastern Prosecutor’s Office.

Commercial records attribute millions in debts to companies associated with the founder of Revista Velvet and controller of El Dínamo. Additionally, there are civil lawsuits and labor claims, alongside a recent complaint filed by the writer Carmen Castillo, better known as Carmen Tuitera.

Revista Velvet has established itself as a showcase for luxury and lifestyle. Its pages feature interviews with entrepreneurs, celebrities, public figures, and faces from high society, while its events attract premium brands and notable personalities from the political, cultural, and economic arenas. Leading this project is Katherine Echaiz, a communications entrepreneur who has crafted an image associated with sophistication, fashion, and influence. However, beneath this facade lies a reality marked by debts, lawsuits, and controversies that paint a very different picture. 

A recent report from EnEstrado.cl has revealed a situation that sharply contrasts with her image of success and elegance. According to a recently circulated business report, Echaiz’s associated companies boast debts exceeding $471 million. The liabilities primarily reside within Velvet Comunicaciones SpA, Ediciones Giro País SpA—which oversees El Dínamo—and Velvet Latam Group SpA, companies that are also facing various questions regarding their financial situation.

Moreover, two of these companies are embroiled in civil lawsuits and collection actions that total nearly $150 million, driven by factoring companies and suppliers.

Adding to this complexity are testimonials from former collaborators and employees who allege delays in the payment of fees, pension contributions, and other labor commitments. Some have resorted to legal action or reported that they had to insist for months to secure payment for completed work.

This scenario has raised questions about the financial management of the companies linked to Echaiz, particularly given her prominent public profile as a media entrepreneur and the spouse of Senator Javier Macaya.

The Financial Figures Behind Grupo Velvet

The financial troubles attributed to Katherine Echaiz’s business environment are reflected in recently released commercial reports, which indicate outstanding debts exceeding $471 million linked to the major companies associated with the businesswoman and controller of Revista Velvet.

The bulk of this liability falls on Velvet Comunicaciones SpA, which has obligations nearing $314 million. It is followed by Ediciones Giro País SpA, which is tied to the digital media outlet El Dínamo, with debts of approximately $91 million, while Velvet Latam Group SpA accuses additional commitments amounting to $66 million.

Together, these three entities account for the total amounts recorded in the commercial registers, creating a scenario that compounds the judicial actions and labor claims surrounding the companies associated with Echaiz.

The Legal Challenges Ahead

However, the debts recorded in commercial reports are not the only challenges facing Echaiz’s associated entities. Some of these companies are also engaged in active legal proceedings, where financial institutions and suppliers are seeking to recover payments that remain outstanding. 

On one side, Velvet Latam Group SpA is facing a lawsuit from Banpro Factoring, which claims a debt of over $23 million. According to the legal action cited by EnEstrado.cl, the obligation is backed by a promissory note that is overdue and unpaid. In this case, the firm has requested court measures to seize bank accounts, assets, and potential payments owed to the company.

Simultaneously, Go Capital is claiming approximately $61 million. According to the court submission, the debt originated from a business relationship concerning factoring services and is supported by a promissory note that, the creditor contends, remains overdue and unpaid. The financial firm requested measures to secure the collection of the claimed amounts.

Additionally, a collection action is also being initiated by Flow SpA, an electronic payment platform demanding payment for three invoices totaling around $10.7 million. According to the judicial background cited in the report, the company asserts that the documents were legally notified without any objections or payments being made within the established deadlines.

Furthermore, the advertising company Global Media has initiated preparatory actions for the recovery of an invoice amounting to approximately $1.78 million. This is a preliminary action before an eventual executive lawsuit, aiming to recover payment for services that, it claims, were provided and remain unpaid.

Considering the actions taken by Banpro Factoring, Go Capital, Flow, and Global Media, the lawsuits and collection efforts against Velvet Latam Group SpA exceed $96 million, making it one of the principal legal challenges currently facing the company associated with Katherine Echaiz.

Ediciones Giro País

The legal conflicts are not limited to Velvet Latam Group. Ediciones Giro País SpA, which is affiliated with the digital outlet El Dínamo, is also facing collection actions. Among these is a lawsuit filed by Go Capital, claiming over $51 million linked to invoices issued during 2025.

According to the legal action, the financial company claims that despite some partial payments being made, a significant outstanding balance remains. For this reason, they requested the court to take measures to ensure the recovery of the owed amounts.

It is worth noting that factoring companies are financial entities that provide liquidity to businesses by purchasing or financing invoices, promissory notes, or other payment documents. In exchange, they obtain the right to collect those amounts later.

When a debt backed by such documents is not paid within the agreed timelines, financial firms can resort to the courts to demand compliance. In this context, they typically request measures such as seizing assets, bank accounts, or credits in favor of the defendant company to ensure eventual recovery of the contested resources.

Workers Report Unpaid Wages

Along with the financial scrutiny and court actions, the report from EnEstrado.cl includes testimonials from former collaborators and employees who accuse the companies linked to Katherine Echaiz of delaying payments for fees and workplace obligations.

Among the cases highlighted is that of a journalist who claimed to have outstanding invoices for work done for Revista Velvet. According to her testimony, after months of follow-ups and payment promises that were not fulfilled, compensation for published interviews remained unpaid.

The report also features complaints from workers who claim to have faced delays in the payment of pension contributions. Some assert that contributions were made only partially or late, while others say they opted to end their employment due to the lack of regularization of these commitments.

Furthermore, former colleagues interviewed by the outlet described what they characterize as recurrent payment issues within the companies associated with Echaiz. According to their testimonies, these difficulties do not appear to be isolated incidents but rather a practice that has affected various workers and suppliers over time.

Additionally, a labor lawsuit was filed by a former editor who worked for several years at one of Echaiz’s media companies. According to the legal action, the professional claims compensations linked to an alleged unjust dismissal, a case that is currently pending in the courts.

Recent Allegation of Trespassing

In addition to the financial and labor controversies enveloping the companies linked to Katherine Echaiz, a complaint was recently filed with the Eastern Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office by writer and influencer Carmen Castillo, publicly known as Carmen Tuitera.

According to the details shared by Castillo in various interviews, the situation stems from a relationship she had with Senator Javier Macaya in 2023. She claims that at the time, she was unaware that the senator was in a relationship with Katherine Echaiz, who would later become his wife.

Later, as documented in the complaint submitted to the Public Ministry, Castillo alleges that she was contacted by a journalist from Revista Velvet to arrange a supposed work meeting. However, she asserts that when the meeting occurred, the individual who arrived at her home was not the professional she had spoken to but Katherine Echaiz.

According to the allegation, Echaiz entered the property and remained there for several hours. Castillo claims she allowed the entry due to the circumstances at the time, which left her with a significant emotional impact, although she did not take legal action at that moment.

The complaint was filed with the Eastern Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office in June of this year, and as reported by various media outlets, this office will be responsible for conducting investigations to clarify the alleged events and determine any potential responsibilities.

It is important to note that the alleged events have not been legally substantiated and are part of an ongoing investigation. 

A Figure Beyond the Business Sphere

The public interest generated by this case is not solely explained by the financial situation of the involved companies. Katherine Echaiz has built a career that intertwines entrepreneurial activity, media presence, and participation in political spaces.

Before establishing herself in the publishing world, she held positions in the public sector, including the regional directorate of Sernatur in Biobío during the first government of Sebastián Piñera. Years later, she transitioned into electoral competition, running for the Senate in 2021 as an independent candidate in a seat for Evópoli.

Subsequently, she strengthened her presence in communications by creating and expanding Revista Velvet, a project that over time incorporated participation in other media, including El Dínamo. Through these platforms, she has cultivated significant public exposure and a close relationship with key figures from the political, business, and cultural fields.

Moreover, her connection to Senator UDI Javier Macaya, whom she married, has further heightened scrutiny over the controversies surrounding the companies linked to her sphere. In this context, the allegations, lawsuits, and questions that have emerged in recent weeks have transcended the private sphere to become a matter of public interest.

La entrada Debt, Lawsuits, and Controversies Surrounding Katherine Echaiz, Wife of Senator Javier Macaya se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.