A Florida court ruled that Genaro García Luna, Mexico’s former top security official, must pay over $748 million, while his wife faces handing over more than $1.7 billion in a civil judgment tied to corrupt contracts.
Fraud and Bribery Uncovered
García Luna served as secretary of public security under President Felipe Calderón from 2006 to 2012. After moving to Florida, he was arrested in 2019 and later convicted for accepting bribes from the Sinaloa drug cartel.
- He and associates secured 30 suspicious government contracts for surveillance and intelligence technology
- Contracts were inflated or falsified to funnel money to offshore accounts in Barbados
- Funds were then used to buy luxury condos in Miami and vintage cars like Mustangs, Lamborghinis, and Ferraris
Massive Civil Judgment Imposed
On Thursday, Judge Lisa Walsh ordered García Luna and his wife Linda Cristina Pereyra to pay billions in damages to the Mexican government.
- García Luna must pay $748 million
- Pereyra ordered to hand over more than $1.7 billion
- The ruling follows his 38-year prison sentence for corruption and drug cartel ties
Impact on Mexican Politics and Law Enforcement
García Luna’s conviction marked the highest-level Mexican official convicted in the U.S., highlighting deep corruption issues within Mexico’s government during the drug war years.
- The case exposed how illicit funds were laundered through real estate and luxury purchases
- The judgment aims to recover stolen assets and deter future corruption
Information sourced from:
- U.S. District Court, Florida
- Associated Press
- Reuters