The NSC started the inquiry after the bank paid a bigger bonus (10.7m pesos) to the vice-president of the bank, Eduardo Elsztain, than the 3.15m pesos bonus it paid to Clarisa Lifsic, the president of the bank.
Mr Elsztain is also president of IRSA, the country’s biggest property developer, and one of the most powerful businessmen in Argentina. IRSA has a controlling stake in Banco Hipotecario following a partial privatisation of the bank in 1997. The state owns the other 49%.
