El Ciudadano
Original article: ¿Cuota Kusanovic? Fiscalía inicia investigación contra senador de Magallanes tras denuncia de exfuncionario por práctica similar a la «Cuota Flores»
Magallanes regional prosecutor, Cristián Crisosto, confirmed the launch of an investigation against Senator Alejandro Kusanovic of the Magallanes region (formerly of the RN party), following a complaint from a former staff member who claimed he was forced to return part of his salary, in a scheme likened to the notorious ‘Flores Quota.’
The complainant, who served as a secretary in the legislator’s office in Puerto Natales from March 2022 to December 2025, reported that prior to signing his employment contract, he was summoned to a meeting with José Cárcamo, Kusanovic’s chief of staff, who explained that he would need to return a monthly sum of 500,000 pesos from his salary.
According to Carlos Abarzúa, the attorney representing the complainant, it was indicated during this meeting that these funds were «to cover expenses for the senator, such as advertising and the opinion column published in La Prensa Austral,» implying that these costs were «legitimate and necessary for the proper functioning of parliamentary duties in the region.»
Furthermore, Abarzúa disclosed that his client was instructed to cover various office expenses out of his own salary, including payments for telephone, internet, and television services, as well as the purchase of cleaning supplies, coffee, sugar, cookies, and other items essential for the daily operations of Kusanovic’s district office.
In this context, Abarzúa detailed that payments benefited three specific individuals: «José Víctor Cárcamo Molina, in his role as the senator’s chief of staff; Elia Simeone Ruiz, who was said to be involved in the press editing for the local newspaper; and Juan Echeverría Errázuriz, whose function or connection to the senator was not clearly explained to my client,» the lawyer stated.
He also recounted that the payments were initially made in cash directly to the senator’s chief of staff, transitioning later to electronic transfers and eventually to cash deposits at Banco de Chile. In total, it is alleged that the complainant transferred 23 million pesos from his salary throughout the entire period in which he worked with the legislator.
«It is absolutely essential for the implications of this complaint and any subsequent investigation to clearly understand that my client acted at all times under the direct orders of the senator Kusanovic’s chief of staff,» emphasized attorney Abarzúa, noting that the chief of staff «operated under the senator’s instructions.»
In light of these details, prosecutor Cristián Crisosto announced that «the Magallanes and Antarctica Regional Prosecutor’s Office has indeed received various reports concerning certain conduct attributed to the honorable senator Alejandro Kusanovic. These reports were received, and a case has been opened that is currently under investigation. The chief prosecutor of Punta Arenas has been assigned to the case.»
«The case is active, with pending investigations,» added the Magallanes regional prosecutor.
We will continue to provide updates on this story.
La entrada Kusanovic Investigated: Magallanes Senator Faces Allegations of Salary Kickbacks Similar to ‘Flores Quota’ Scandal se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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