Newly disclosed records reveal that Paraguayan authorities had been building a money laundering case against Congressman Eulalio Gomes Batista for years before he was fatally shot during a police operation at his home.
Gomes, who entered Congress in 2023, was killed in August 2024 in Pedro Juan Caballero when police said he fired on officers executing a raid. At the time, he had already been formally charged with money laundering and criminal association alongside his son, Alexander, who remains under investigation.
Documents from the Public Prosecutor’s Office indicate that probes into Gomes’ financial activities began as early as 2017. An internal review by a Spanish bank’s local branch flagged money transfers between Gomes, his son, and a company that authorities link to a Brazilian figure accused of drug trafficking and related crimes.
The indictment referenced a single transaction exceeding 400 million guarani—roughly $53,000—sent to that company. However, the family’s lawyer, Óscar Tuma, has denied any ties, asserting there is no evidence of financial dealings with the alleged trafficker.
A 2021 report from the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit detailed millions of dollars moving through accounts held by the father and son between 2015 and 2021. The report highlighted a stark gap between these financial flows and their declared incomes, suggesting the source of funds was unclear.
Tuma challenged the validity of the documents, claiming prosecutors failed to include them in the official case file. He maintains that the financial transactions were linked to legitimate commercial and livestock operations, supported by proper documentation.
In 2022, Paraguayan authorities sought judicial cooperation from Brazil, naming Gomes and his son among individuals suspected of connections to transnational drug trafficking organizations. The request underscored the cross-border nature of the investigation.
The Gomes family’s legal team continues to dispute the official narrative of the raid, with Tuma alleging that armed intruders entered the home, leading to a fatal confrontation.