A civil court in Miami, Florida, has ordered Genaro García Luna, Mexico’s former security chief, and his wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, to pay a total of $2.488 billion to the Mexican government after finding them liable for participating in a corruption scheme and embezzling public funds.
The ruling divides the sum into $748 million owed by García Luna and $1.74 billion by Pereyra. The case stems from a civil lawsuit filed in 2021 by the Mexican government, which accused the couple of diverting public funds via a network of shell companies during Felipe Calderón’s administration (2006–2012).
Among the charges laid out by the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) are:
- Manipulated contracts: García Luna allegedly awarded contracts irregularly to benefit certain companies.
- International transfers: The diverted funds were reportedly sent to the U.S. to disguise their origin.
- Money laundering: Some of the resources allegedly passed through shell companies and personal bank accounts in Florida.
- Misuse of public funds: The UIF documented how public money ended up as part of the García Luna family’s personal assets.
The García Luna Case
Genaro García Luna was one of Mexico’s most powerful security officials during the administrations of Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderón. His roles included:
- Director of the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI) from 2001 to 2006
- Federal Secretary of Public Security from 2006 to 2012, during which he had direct control over the Federal Police
He was arrested in Texas in December 2019 and later transferred to New York. In 2023, a federal jury found him guilty of five charges, including drug trafficking conspiracy and making false statements. Evidence presented at trial revealed he accepted bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for government protection.
In 2024, a judge in the Eastern District Court of New York sentenced him to a reported 38 to 40 years in prison.
