U.S. court imposes multi-billion-dollar penalty on imprisoned ex-Mexican minister towards Mexico - In the United States, a previous Mexican minister, imprisoned for doling out billions to Mexico, faces another conviction.
Former Mexican Minister Convicted of Corruption and Money Laundering Faces Billions in Repayment to Mexico
Mexico has taken legal action against the imprisoned ex-minister in the United States over allegations of corruption and money laundering involving numerous public contracts. The total amount, now substantially higher than the initial demand of the Mexican government, stands at almost $2.5 billion.
In a recent ruling, Genaro García Luna, his wife, and five companies were ordered to pay hefty fines. García Luna was mandated to pay nearly $749 million, while his wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, was ordered to pay approximately $1.74 billion. This judgment came following seven previous guilty verdicts against them for failing to attend court proceedings, according to an official statement.
So far, approximately $3 million has been confiscated from their assets and properties. García Luna, a former secretary of public security for Mexico, was sentenced to more than 38 years in prison in the USA in 2023 for collaborating with the notorious Sinaloa cartel. In October 2024, a judge in New York imposed a sentence of 460 months in prison and a $2 million fine on him.
García Luna, who was once Mexico's Secretary for Public Security, served from 2006 to 2012, was instrumental in a hardline campaign against drug gangs. Prior to this, he headed the then-disbanded federal police force AFI, tasked with tackling corruption and organized crime.
Investigations by the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York allege that García Luna aided the Sinaloa cartel, led by drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, in smuggling over 53 tons of cocaine into the USA from 2001. In exchange for millions of dollars in bribes, he provided drug dealers with advance warnings about police operations, had rival cartel members arrested, and assisted other corrupt officials in securing influential positions.
After leaving public service in 2012, García Luna relocated to the USA, where he leveraged his connections to secure lucrative contracts with the Mexican government until his arrest in December 2019. A business group linked to the García Luna family is accused of receiving 30 public contracts and over $745 million in funds. These funds were reportedly transferred abroad using tax havens and the purchase of properties and other assets in Florida.
In May 2025, a Florida court ordered García Luna and his wife to pay over $2.4 billion to the Mexican government in a civil lawsuit. The lawsuit centered on corruption and money laundering linked to public contracts during García Luna's tenure. This award, which is three times larger than the original claim, references seven prior guilty verdicts against García Luna, his wife, and five of their companies for failing to appear in court proceedings. The recent civil ruling further emphasizes the extent of corruption and financial damage inflicted on Mexico during García Luna's time in power.
In the United States, the ongoing legal proceedings against Genaro Garcia Luna, his wife, and their associated companies involve allegations of corruption and money laundering that span across the fields of politics, crime, and general-news. The judgments have resulted in fines and repayments totaling billions of dollars to both the United States and Mexico, linking these events to the finance of various drug trafficking organizations.
These events not only implicate Garcia Luna and his wife in crime and justice issues but also raise questions about the role of politics and their alleged involvement in facilitating corruption and money laundering activities during his time as a public official in Mexico.
