Seven Medical Professionals Charged Over Negligence in Maradona’s Death

Four years after the death of football legend Diego Maradona, seven healthcare professionals will stand trial next week, accused of medical negligence in his final days.

The trial, set to begin on Tuesday in San Isidro, Buenos Aires, will last four months and include testimony from over 100 witnesses, including Maradona’s family and former doctors.

The defendants—neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Diaz, medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, doctor Pedro Pablo Di Spagna, and nurse Ricardo Almiro—face charges of reckless homicide and could receive sentences ranging from 8 to 25 years in prison.

Another nurse, Gisela Dahiana Madrid, will be tried separately in July.

Maradona, who died on November 25, 2020, at age 60, was recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot.

He suffered a fatal heart attack while under home care in Buenos Aires.

Prosecutors argue that his medical team provided “reckless” and “deficient” treatment, leaving him in a prolonged, agonizing state before his death.

A 2021 medical report suggested he could have survived with proper care.

The defendants deny wrongdoing, while Maradona’s family insists that leaked messages prove his health was in critical danger and that the medical staff sought to keep his daughters from intervening.

Maradona remains a revered figure in Argentina, with tributes across the country.

His mausoleum, expected to draw a million visitors annually, will soon open in Buenos Aires.