A judge in Baja California Sur handed down the first conviction for money laundering in an investigation into an alleged corruption network within the Housing Institute (INVI).
The ruling was issued against Juan Antonio “N,” who received a sentence of two years and eight months in prison, in addition to being ordered to pay more than 10.2 million pesos in restitution to INVI.
According to the investigation, the case stems from alleged irregularities in the handling of public funds at the Housing Institute between November 2021 and November 2023.
Authorities stated that Juan Antonio “N,” identified as a private citizen and brother of Javier “N,” a former INVI official and former head of the INVI accounting department (who was also arrested and is being held in pretrial detention), allegedly received money transfers that were misappropriated from the public agency.
With those funds, the Prosecutor’s Office added, he acquired a property and built a shopping center valued at over 10 million pesos in less than four months.
The property had been previously seized to guarantee restitution and was subsequently transferred to the Housing Institute (INVI) via public deed.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to EL UNIVERSAL that investigations and criminal proceedings remain open against other individuals linked to the case, including former officials and private citizens connected to the alleged corruption network uncovered at INVI.
Among those formally charged are former directors, the head of INVI, Fernanda Villarreal, and other former officials from the institute’s administrative and accounting departments.
The authorities clarified that those currently facing charges retain the presumption of innocence until a final judgment is reached.
Source: eluniversal
