Leaked documents obtained by Breitbart Texas demonstrate an intricate weave of corruption featuring former Tamaulipas state officials who allegedly worked with the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Several politicians, including two former governors, face criminal charges in the U.S.
As part of an ongoing investigation into cartel activity and connected political elites, Breitbart Texas was able to obtain exclusive access to files from the now-defunct Mexican Attorney General’s Office (PGR), which has now been replaced in name only by the FGR. The documents include organizational charts and statements from witnesses who provide insights into how former officials worked with some of the most violent criminal organizations and embezzled millions.
Tamaulipas PGR Leak by ildefonso ortiz on Scribd
The documents demonstrate how cartels and their representatives had input in the selection of police chiefs at all levels. Records also show how officials rigged contracts so allies could overcharge the state.
The documents center on former Tamaulipas Governor Eugenio Hernandez Flores (2005-2010) and the inner workings of the border state’s political elite. Hernandez and his predecessor, Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, face federal charges in Texas for alleged money laundering. Yarrington came into U.S. custody in 2017 after his arrest in Italy. He also faces drug trafficking charges. Yarrington is accused of collecting $132 million in cartel bribes and other illicit funds. His trial is expected to start in late 2020.
Despite being fugitives, Hernandez and Yarrington lived luxuriously in Mexico for several years, featuring state police officers as private security guards. The charts from the PGR show a collection of shell companies allegedly used by Hernandez, his relatives, and close friends to siphon millions in government funds. The documents appear to tie in with other civil asset forfeiture cases in Texas where U.S. authorities seized homes and an airplane “owned” by another state official, but was in reality Hernandez’s. That state official, Pablo Zarate Juarez, remains listed as a fugitive by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The documents also identify Fernando Alejandro Cano Martinez and Luis Carlos “Dragon” Castillo Cervantes as the main money laundering associates for both governors. In 2017, Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon authorities arrested Cano Martinez, however, federal officials released him almost immediately and his fate remains unknown. Castillo pleaded guilty to federal money laundering charges in Texas, where he is currently serving a term of supervised release in return for future testimony.
It was not until October 2017 when Tamaulipas authorities arrested Hernandez on embezzlement charges. Since then, Hernandez and his attorneys have worked to derail U.S. extradition efforts. Breitbart Texas learned of a series of secret hearings where Mexican federal magistrates are considering an injunction to prevent the transfer.
One of the main witnesses who testified against Hernandez is listed under the codename “Angeles.” Angeles is the name given to Antonio Pena Arguelles, a political operative who acted as an intermediary between Los Zetas and Tamaulipas officials. Pena Arguelles was forced to flee Nuevo Laredo after a rift with Los Zetas and is currently a protected witness for the DOJ.
Pena Arguelles is quoted asking Los Zetas top boss Miguel Angel “Z-40” Trevino Morales if he would accept Eugenio Hernandez as the winner of a gubernatorial election. According to Arguelles, the Zeta leader asked how much he would have to pay, and Arguelles instead said it was a “man’s deal.” Arguelles claimed to have since acted as an intermediary between the two.
Another one of the witnesses, Jesus Rodrigo Andrade Gallegos, claimed Governor Hernandez would meet with Gulf Cartel brass at the Maeva Hotel in Tampico. The witness also claimed that Governor Hernandez would consume drugs during those gatherings and, in a few instances, was rushed to a nearby private hospital called Beneficencia Espanola when he overindulged. The documents also show that Hernandez denied the allegations made by Andrade Gallegos.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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