Paraguayan authorities have detained attorney Diego Raúl Lansac Gómez, 49, following a judicial operation in Asunción. The arrest comes after a court declared him a fugitive, marking a significant escalation in a legal battle involving allegations of sextortion and grave coercion against a former employee.
The operation, executed on Monday, April 13, 2026, targeted a residence located at the intersection of Guido Spano and Nicanor Torales streets in the Villa Morra neighborhood of the capital. The arrest was carried out by agents from the Direction against Kidnapping and Terrorism (Antisecuestro) under the coordination of the Public Ministry, specifically led by prosecutor Irma Llano according to official reports.
Lansac is facing serious charges including grave coercion, coercion, and the violation of the right to communication and image. The case centers on accusations that the attorney used fake social media profiles to extort a woman who had a professional relationship with him, threatening to leak intimate photographs of the victim.
This latest development follows a period of judicial evasion. A Sentencing Tribunal, composed of judges Juan Carlos Zárate, Héctor Luis Capurro, and Yolanda Portillo, had previously declared Lansac in rebellion after he failed to appear for court requirements, leading to the issuance of the capture order that culminated in Monday’s raid as detailed by local judicial records.
The Origins of the Sextortion Investigation
The legal proceedings against Diego Raúl Lansac Gómez began in 2020, when prosecutor Irma Llano opened the case following a complaint from a woman who worked within Lansac’s legal practice. In a paradoxical twist, the victim initially filed the complaint for coercion with Lansac himself acting as her legal representative.
The investigation gained critical momentum when the Public Ministry requested data from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The digital forensic evidence allegedly revealed that the threats and the fake profiles used to harass the victim were linked to a device and an email address belonging to Lansac according to investigative findings.
The nature of these charges—specifically “lesión del derecho a la comunicación y a la imagen” (injury to the right of communication and image)—highlights the severity of the alleged privacy breach. In the legal context of Paraguay, the combination of these offenses can lead to significant penalties. The current expectation of sentencing is up to six years in prison due to the concurrence of multiple punishable acts as reported by judicial sources.
A History of Legal Evasion and Denials
Here’s not the first time Lansac has been the subject of a police operation. He was previously detained on September 20, 2021, during a raid on his office located in the Sky Center building on San Martín Avenue in Asunción. That operation was led by the then-prosecutor of the case, Federico Delfino according to police records.
The path to the current arrest was marked by delays in the oral trial process. In March, the trial was scheduled to begin, but Lansac did not attend. His defense team submitted a medical certificate claiming he was under medical repose to justify his absence and request a postponement. However, the defense attorney also failed to appear at the hearing, which contributed to the court’s decision to declare him a fugitive.
Despite the evidence gathered by the prosecution, Lansac has vehemently denied the allegations. In statements made via social media in February, he claimed, “I am a father of 4 daughters and I would never do something like this, never.” He further questioned the credibility of the accuser, asserting that no photos were ever actually viralized and suggesting the victim was seeking media attention per his own public statements.
Summary of Legal Charges and Potential Penalties
| Charge | Context | Potential Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Grave Coercion | Threats to leak intimate images via fake profiles | Primary criminal charge |
| Injury to Right of Communication/Image | Unauthorized use/threat of distribution of private media | Contributory offense |
| Rebellion/Fugitive Status | Failure to appear at scheduled trial hearings | Triggered the April 13 arrest warrant |
| Total Expected Penalty | Combined offenses (Concurso de hechos) | Up to 6 years imprisonment |
What This Means for the Judicial Process
The detention of Diego Raúl Lansac Gómez removes the primary obstacle to the commencement of the oral and public trial. Because the defendant is now in custody, the Sentencing Tribunal can proceed to set a definitive date for the trial without the risk of further absences justified by medical certificates or evasion.
The case serves as a high-profile example of the use of digital forensics in Paraguayan courts. The ability of the prosecution to link a physical device and a specific email account to the fake profiles used in the sextortion attempt provides a technical foundation that moves the case beyond “he-said, she-said” testimony.
For the legal community in Asunción, the case is particularly notable due to the professional status of the accused and the alleged betrayal of trust, given that the victim was an employee of his legal studio and that Lansac had initially acted as her legal representative in the very matter she was reporting.
Following his arrest on Monday morning, Lansac was transported to the headquarters of the Department of Antisecuestros for standard processing before being placed at the disposal of the court.
The next confirmed step in the legal process is for the Sentencing Tribunal to fix the official date for the start of the oral and public trial. Further updates will depend on the court’s scheduling and the defense’s response to the current detention.
We invite our readers to share their perspectives on the intersection of digital privacy and legal ethics in the comments section below.
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