October 23, 2026
An Argentine court acquitted clinical doctor Pedro de Spagna of the charges against him in the case of the death of football legend Diego Maradona, while setting the date of next December 22nd to issue a ruling against the six other accused members of the medical team that took care of the late star in 2020.
The decision to acquit De Spagna came after the Public Prosecution and the plaintiffs representing Maradona’s family withdrew the charges against him, convinced that there was insufficient evidence to prove his criminal responsibility for the death. It is noteworthy that De Spagna participated as a consultant doctor and examined Maradona only once during his period of home care, without having the authority to make a decision regarding his general treatment plan.
For its part, the Seventh Criminal Court in San Isidro, headed by Judges Alberto Gaig, Alberto Ortolani and Pablo Rolon, announced the conclusion of the trial sessions and the start of the deliberations phase to determine the criminal responsibilities of the remaining defendants, with the final ruling to be issued on December 22, 2026 at twelve o’clock in the afternoon.
The other six defendants – neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Kosachov, care coordinator Nancy Forlini, psychologist Carlos Diaz, nurse Ricardo Almiron, and nursing coordinator Mariano Perrone – face charges of responsibility for Maradona’s death. The Public Prosecution has demanded that varying prison sentences be imposed according to the roles played by each defendant, while the defendants continue to deny any criminal violations on their part.
It is noteworthy that Diego Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, as a result of a heart attack that occurred while he was receiving treatment at his home after undergoing delicate surgery to remove a hematoma in the brain. The first trial was canceled in 2025 due to procedural violations, including the participation of former judge Julietta McIntach in a documentary covering the case, after which a new trial began in April 2026.
