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This morning in Miami, Civil Judge Lisa Walsh issued judgment against Genaro García Luna and his wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, for their involvement in an illegal contracting scheme tied to the Mexican government during the administrations of Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto.

At a public hearing, the judge ordered García Luna to pay $748.8 million and his wife to pay $1.74 billion for their role in profiting from government security contracts that were ostensibly aimed at fighting drug trafficking and improving public safety in Mexico.

Back in 2021, the Mexican government filed a lawsuit in Miami against García Luna, his wife, and over 50 other individuals and companies, accusing them of using millions of dollars, originating from Mexican federal funds, to buy property and make investments in the U.S. García Luna never responded to the lawsuit. His wife did respond but failed to follow court orders and was declared “in default” on February 21, 2024.

Although a trial was initially set for April, it never occurred because the parties announced they had reached an agreement “in principle.” These parties included several companies, former government officials, and businessmen Samuel and Alexis Weinberg, associates of García Luna in these dealings. On May 19, attorneys representing the Mexican government submitted documents supporting a final judgment, following their initial request filed in April.

Today, the judge ruled in favor of the Mexican government, applying the RICO Act—a U.S. law used to combat organized crime and money laundering. The judge found that Pereyra received $580 million, while García Luna was responsible for diverting $249 million. Under the RICO Act, the court tripled the amounts proven by prosecutors, resulting in massive financial penalties.

Though this is a civil case, today’s ruling could lead to future criminal charges against García Luna and Pereyra—both in Mexico, where the funds were received, and in the United States, where the illicit money was invested.

*Grupo Reforma in Mexico published a Spanish version of this article. 

Banner photo: Marco Ugarte /AP Photo.

The work of Futuro Investigates is made possible by the W.K.Kellogg Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Tow Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Michelle Mercer and Bruce Golden, and Hispanics in Philanthropy.