Police unsuccessfully raid medical firm in charge of Maradona’s care

Police moved Wednesday to raid the medical company that was in charge of the home care of football star Diego Maradona when he died in 2020, only to discover it had moved.

The raid on the Medidom firm was ordered to find evidence relevant to the ongoing trial of seven medical professionals in charge of Maradona's care when he died at home aged 60 while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot.

A police source told the AFP news agency that officers arrived at Medidom's offices in Buenos Aires only to discover it had moved years ago. A raid at the new address is being planned.

This is the second such raid of a medical establishment linked to the case, the first having been the Clínica Olivos in Buenos Aires where Maradona was operated on in November 2020.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while recovering at home from brain surgery for a blood clot.

His seven-person medical team is on trial for what prosecutors have described as the “horror theatre” of his care in the final days of his life, at a private residence in the Greater Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre.

Maradona died of heart failure and acute pulmonary oedema – a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs – just weeks after undergoing surgery.

Doctors at the Clínica Olivos performed successful neurosurgery on the former footballer two weeks before he died.

He had battled cocaine and alcohol addiction for decades before he passed.  

Seven defendants risk prison terms between eight and 25 years if convicted of homicide with possible intent (dolo eventual) – pursuing a course of action despite knowing it could lead to death.

An eighth defendant, nurse Gisela Madrid, will be tried separately.

Many of the accused were employed by Medidom or Swiss Medical, Maradona's medical service provider that outsourced his home care service.

Several witnesses have testified that Maradona was being cared for in a grim manner in dirty room with inadequate medical equipment.

At Tuesday's hearing, Gianinna Maradona, one of the star's daughters, told the judges that during her visits to her father's home, she didn't see the nurses performing their duties, but that she did see them sat "at a table outside" in the garden with other employees.

The trial, taking place in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro, began on March 11, is set to continue until July.

– TIMES/AFP