San Antonio, TX. — The former Secretary of Finance for the Mexican State of Coahuila has been indicted for alleged participation in a narcotics-related money laundering scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Texas. Hector Javier Villarreal surrendered to federal authorities in El Paso on Wednesday and appeared before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad to face the formal charges.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Villarreal and others conducted financial transactions involving the proceeds of unlawful activity, since January 2008. “The proceeds in question involve the importation, sale and distribution of controlled substances; bribery of a public official; embezzlement of public funds; and wire fraud,” they said.
“The indictment further alleges that as part of the scheme, the defendant transferred funds in and out of the United States in order to conceal and disguise the nature, source and ownership of the criminally derived proceeds,” said the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Multiple questions from Breitbart Texas regarding possible cartel involvement and other information related to the alleged crimes could not be responded to by the U.S. Attorney’s Office at this time. However, the office did express gratitude to the Mexican Government for their cooperation related to this investigation.
This is not the first incident involving a senior Mexican official being indicted in Texas. Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby reported in December 2013 of a similar situation involving the indictment of a former Mexican governor. In that case, the Mexican official was accused of helping the Gulf cartel with their operations.
Villarreal Hector Indictment SA14cr100XR by BreitbartTexas
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