A new trial over the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona kicked off on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires. Seven members of his medical team are charged with negligent homicide (culpable homicide) nearly a year after the original proceedings collapsed in a high-profile mistrial.
Maradona, the 1986 World Cup champion and one of the greatest soccer players of all time, died on November 25, 2020, at age 60 from a heart attack while recovering at home from brain surgery to remove a subdural hematoma.
The Accused: Who Are the Seven Medical Professionals on Trial?
The seven defendants, all part of the team responsible for Maradona’s home care in his final weeks, have denied any wrongdoing. They face potential prison sentences of up to 25 years if convicted. Here are their names and roles:
- Agustina Cosachov — Psychiatrist
- Leopoldo Luque — Neurosurgeon and Maradona’s primary personal physician
- Carlos Angel Diaz — Psychologist
- Nancy Edith Forlini — Physician and medical coordinator
- Ricardo Almiron — Nurse
- Mariano Ariel Perroni — Head nurse / Nursing coordinator
- Pedro Pablo Di Spagna — Physician
An eighth defendant, nurse Dahiana Madrid (also referred to as Gisela Madrid in some reports), will be tried separately in a jury trial with no date set yet.
What Are the Charges?
Prosecutors allege that the medical team provided deficient and reckless care during Maradona’s home recovery. They described the setup as a “theatre of horror,” claiming essential monitoring, proper medication management, and adequate professional supervision were missing in violation of treatment protocols.
A 2021 medical board investigation concluded the team acted in an “inappropriate, deficient, and reckless” manner. The defense argues that Maradona’s death was inevitable due to his decades-long struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction, along with other severe health complications.