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Pergolini Denies Viral Claim He Runs AI ‘Ghost’ News Sites Paid by Buenos Aires Province

The dispute spotlights how state advertising in Argentina doubles as a test of influence and transparency.

Overview

  • An influential X account accused Mario Pergolini of owning 11 low-traffic news sites made with AI that each receive about 1 million pesos in provincial advertising a month.
  • Pergolini rejected the charge on his Vorterix radio show, mocked the post, and said he would not build hidden sites when Vorterix itself does not receive ads from the province.
  • Vorterix’s official account backed the on-air response and stated that neither Pergolini nor the station gets advertising from the Province of Buenos Aires.
  • The accuser pressed the case by naming Appterix S.A., pointing to Boletín Oficial records and claiming the firm shares an address with Vorterix-linked companies.
  • An analyst flagged past government awards to Appterix S.A., while no independent evidence has confirmed the alleged monthly payouts from the province.