"MX" for Borderland Beat
Note: For an in-depth coverage of Yarrington's background and criminal operation, please click this hyperlink for an exclusive Borderland Beat report.
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| Tomas Yarrington, former Mayor of Matamoros and Governor of Tamaulipas |
The US government released the final seizure order for the former Governor of Tamaulipas, Tomás Yarrington. He will have to forfeiture between US$3.5 and up to $9.5 million, a figure investigators determined he made for 15 years while laundering money for the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas, and the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO).
They say that Yarrington bought multiple properties in the US with these drug proceeds. Among them included properties in San Antonio, Laredo, and Port Isabel, Texas. Yarrington faces up to 20 years in prison for his money laundering charges.
Yarrington pleaded guilty last month and will receive a soother sentence. During his plea deal, Yarrington also detailed how he accepted bribes from individuals and private companies in Mexico to do business with the state of Tamaulipas while he served as governor.
Originally, Yarrington faced up to life in prison if he had been convicted of the racketeering or drug trafficking conspiracy charges the U.S. government leveled against him eight years ago.
On more than 15,000 digital documents consisting of 100,000 pages, US investigators detailed how Yarrington took bribes from the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas, and the BLO, and actively participated in drug trafficking operations. Authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies had pictures, information about warrants, seizures, and protected witness testimonies framing him as a top cartel figure.
Borderland Beat records show that Yarrington was a key figure in the Gulf Cartel's ascension as one of Mexico's leading criminal groups in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During that era, the cartel was headed by legendary kingpin Osiel Cardenas Guillen.
US prosecutors walked away from the allegations and dismissed these serious charges after Yarrington pleaded guilty.
Source: Milenio (1); (2); Borderland Beat archives
Did Oziel ratted on Yarrington?
ReplyDeleteThere is no way of us to know because Osiel's plea and sentencing were behind close doors, but I believe he did. My theory is that Yarrington was critical in Osiel's ascension as leader of the Gulf Cartel/Zetas. Yarrington was close to Miguel Aleman mayor Raúl Rodríguez Barrera ('El Chupon'), who was close to the Zetas founders. Osiel was based in Miguel Aleman before he returned to Matamoros and regrouped Los Zetas after El June's arrest in 2001.
DeleteSoooo... The US govt also took the pesos he looted from Tamaulipas too...?
ReplyDelete-Holden D. Cash
Of course. This war on drugs is a damn game. Chase a few bad guys, get their money and make them snitch for more friends with money. It’s an endless cat and mouse game.
ReplyDeleteWe don’t even know where the fuck this money goes once it reaches the government’s hands. Salaries im sure. New offices or uniforms somewhere. Not to build a school. Not to help the people in need. Nor to that drug addict who needs our help.
Preach!
DeleteThis is a good point. And if drugs and the money made from it are all so “evil”, why not just BURN it??
DeleteInstead, they get all the newest patrol cars, military grade she for some tiny shit towns police department-etc etc..
I cant beileve any us citizens actually believe this bszasff guy
That means this guy probably had somewhere around $50-100million...
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. His network was quite extensive and there’s no reason to believe authorities uncovered all of it. Yarrington had among the biggest ranchos in Tamaulipas, including one I remember passing by near Soto la Marina. There’s so much we don’t know. This guy had his hands in a lot of places.
DeleteFaces up TO 20 YEARS in prison but will be OUT soon, guaranteed. After he PAYS UNCLE Sam he will be OUT sooner than later..
ReplyDeleteSlap on the WRIST and a pat on the BACK..
Aaaaaaaaaamen!
DeleteYarrington was very tight with the Bush family, no? It's all a fucking game.
ReplyDeleteWe talk about $$$$$$$, how about the people he killed and money he stole
ReplyDeleteA soothing sentence is inevitable due to the amount of money that is being given. Isn't that how it works globally?
ReplyDeleteSo why complain to all those wishing justice.
It would be one thing if those forfeitures were allocated to victims he is complicit to.
Just my take on thing.
Not all countries. Uruguay I remember doesn’t. That’s why that Cuinis guy who was detained there hated it.
DeleteThe issue isn’t the money tho... the issue is this is an endless cat and mouse game that has little or noting to do with actually stopping this.
Well, it’s a question of ethics here. Do you think someone could or should be able to buy out justice or soother treatment? What’s fucked up is this guy got his money from abusing his position of trust and now doesn’t get the full weight of the law.
Delete