An Argentinian judge has charged the widow and son of the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar with being part of a criminal organization devoted to money laundering, according to Argentina’s official judicial news agency.

The former Colombia football international Mauricio Serna also was charged on Tuesday.

Victoria Henao, Juan Pablo Escobar Henao and Serna are accused of being intermediaries in Argentina for the Colombian drug dealer José Piedrahita to launder money through real estate and a cafe known for its tango performances.

Piedrahita was arrested in Colombia in September and is wanted for extradition to the United States.

Victoria Henao and her husband Pablo Escobar in 1983 when Escobar was a member of the Colombian congress. Photograph: Reuters

Serna is a former midfielder who helped Boca Juniors win South America’s Copa Libertadores in 2000 and 2001. The team won the 2000 Intercontinental Cup by beating Real Madrid. He was a regular with Colombia’s national team and played at the 1998 World Cup in France.

The Escobar family has lived in Argentina since the 1990s. The late drug lord’s widow changed her name to María Isabel Santos Caballero and Escobar’s son goes by Juan Sebastián Marroquín Santos. The family and Serna could not be reached for comment.

They can appeal against the decision by local judge Nestor Barral, who also ordered the seizing of some of their assets for about $1m each.