An Argentine appellate court has ordered the seizure of $1.34 million (2 billion pesos) in assets from Diego Maradona’s former lawyer Matías Morla, two of his assistants, sisters Rita and Claudia Maradona, and a notary, indicting them for allegedly fraudulent management of the late soccer legend’s brand and estate, in a case initiated by his grieving children.

The ruling, obtained by AFP, accuses Morla’s firm of serving as a sham entity, with Maradona retaining de facto control over his image rights and subsidiaries until his death at age 60 in November 2020 from heart failure following brain surgery.

Under Argentine law, such arrangements mandate immediate transfer to heirs upon the principal’s passing, a step the court says was evaded to siphon funds. The defendants face charges of fraud and complicity, with potential prison terms of up to six years if convicted.

Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Giannina first filed complaints in 2021, later joined by his three other children, alleging Morla and family members diverted millions from licensing deals, merchandise, and endorsements tied to the World Cup hero’s enduring global icon status.

The probe, ongoing since 2021, highlights mismanagement in the chaotic final years of Maradona’s life, marked by addiction struggles and medical controversies. This development coincides with a separate retrial in the negligence case over Maradona’s death, delayed in May 2025 after a judge recused herself due to ties to a clandestine documentary.