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Texas indicts Mexico's ex-governor on drug charges and RICO
by Joseph Earnest December 3, 2013
Newscast Media AUSTIN—A Texas federal grand jury in Brownsville has indicted former Tamaulipas governor Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, 56, and the owner of a Mexican construction firm, Fernando Alejandro Cano Martinez, 57, charging them of conspiring to violate provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization statute (RICO), as well as conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to make false statements to federally insured U.S. banks.
According to France 24, Yarrington has been a fugitive from justice since 2012, and is only the latest politician indicted by prosecutors in Texas, in what could be a potentially embarrassing string of cases for Mexico’s current administration.
Yarrington has been charged with:
- Violating the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Statute.
- Conspiracy to launder money.
- Conspiracy to defraud.
- Conspiracy to make false statements to federally insured U.S. banks.
- Violating the Controlled Substances Act.
- Two counts of bank fraud.
- Conspiracy to structure currency transactions at a domestic financial institution.
The indictment was filed under seal in May 2012, but has just been unsealed in the past 24 hours. Newscast Media has obtained the unsealed 53-page indictment:
*Click here to read or download the just-unsealed federal indictment. (pop-up)
Beginning around 1998, Yarrington allegedly began to receive millions of dollars in bribes from drug traffickers, including the notorious Gulf Cartel, to allow smugglers to freely conduct their operations. He then purchased valuable assets, including a luxury condo in South Padre Island, Texas, according to the indictment.
If found guilty, the ex-governor could face up to 60 years in jail.
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