A number of top business leaders and ex-government officials in Argentina have offered economic compensation totalling more than US$1 billion in order to avoid standing trial on corruption charges. She argued that given the scale of the alleged corruption and the harm to institutions, reparations could not be measured in money and that the case had to proceed to public trial. The 'Cuadernos' case centres on the alleged collection of bribes in return for the awarding of public works contracts. According to prosecutors, business figures made illegal payments to state officials during the Kirchnerite governments to win multi-billion-peso infrastructure contracts. Defence lawyers stressed that the trial – involving more than 600 witnesses and one hearing a week – would be lengthy, costly and draining.