Mexico Wins Over $578 Million in Case Linked to Ex-Minister Convicted in the U.S.
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The Mexican Ministry of Finance, through the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), announced on Wednesday that a court in Florida, in the city of Miami, ruled in favor of the Mexican state for over $578 million in a case linked to former Public Security Secretary Genaro García Luna, related to an illicit public contracting scheme. García Luna, 57, was the head of public security under former President Felipe Calderón (2006-2012), during which he led the strategy known as the 'war on drugs.' He was arrested in Dallas in 2019 and, in 2024, a jury in New York found him guilty of five drug-related offenses and lying on his U.S. citizenship application, resulting in a nearly 39-year prison sentence. Although his lawyers have appealed the sentence he is serving in the U.S. for drug trafficking, claiming due process violations. The UIF explained in a statement that the court ruling condemns members of the Weinberg family, linked to the former official, and companies related to the payment of $578.5 million as 'reparations for the financial damage' caused to the Mexican state by the so-called 'corrupt scheme.' It also detailed that during the process, the involvement of individuals and entities was established, who participated in 'mechanisms aimed at the improper acquisition of public contracts and the subsequent transfer and concealment of resources.' It specified that a 'broad body of evidence' was compiled during the process, consisting of financial documentation, testimonial statements, and elements obtained through international legal cooperation mechanisms. The UIF clarified that this ruling adds to previous judgments against García Luna and his spouse, Cristina Pereyra, issued by U.S. Judge Lisa Walsh in May 2025, amounting to over $2.448 billion. 'The total amount of judgments obtained in favor of the Mexican state for this scheme amounts to over $3.067 billion, consolidating as a significant recovery action,' the text stated. According to the Mexican government, the ruling is also part of an agreement whereby the convicted individuals must deliver identified assets in various jurisdictions for partial payment of the amounts determined by the judicial authority, a matter that the UIF assured it would follow up on. The news comes on the same day that the rating agency Moody’s Ratings downgraded Mexico's sovereign rating to 'Baa3' from 'Baa2,' the last step within the investment grade.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
