Former Mexican governor Tomas Yarrington has been deported to face serious criminal charges in his homeland after serving time in a U.S. prison for money laundering linked to drug cartels.
At a Glance
- Tomas Jesus Yarrington Ruvalcaba, 68, former governor of Tamaulipas and Mexican presidential candidate, was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- He served a 108-month sentence in Illinois for conspiracy to commit money laundering, having pleaded guilty in 2021
- Mexican authorities are now charging him with organized crime and illegal transactions
- Yarrington is accused of accepting bribes from the Gulf Cartel and other drug traffickers during his time as governor (1999-2005)
- He was captured in Italy in 2017 using a fake identity after fleeing Mexico in 2013
From American Prison to Mexican Justice
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials handed over Tomas Jesus Yarrington Ruvalcaba to Mexican authorities at the San Ysidro Port of Entry between San Diego and Tijuana. The 68-year-old politician completed his prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Thomson in Illinois, where he was serving time for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Yarrington waived his right to appeal a deportation order issued by a judge in February, effectively accepting his return to Mexico where he faces more severe charges.
The case represents a significant fall from grace for a man who once held considerable political power. Yarrington served as governor of the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas from 1999 to 2005 and later ran for president as a candidate of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). His political career collapsed amid mounting evidence of corruption and ties to drug trafficking organizations that operate along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Criminal Activities and Capture
According to U.S. prosecutors, Yarrington accepted substantial bribes during his governorship to facilitate business dealings with the state. He then used these illicit funds to purchase properties in the United States through nominee buyers to conceal his ownership. His criminal activities extended beyond simple corruption to involve direct dealings with notorious drug cartels, including the Gulf Cartel, which maintains a strong presence in Tamaulipas.
“Yarrington laundered his illegally obtained bribe money in the United States by purchasing beachfront condominiums, large estates, commercial developments, airplanes and luxury vehicles” – ICE said.
Yarrington’s capture came after years as a fugitive. Following a 2013 indictment for money laundering and drug-related charges, he fled Mexico and managed to evade authorities for four years. Italian police finally arrested him in 2017, where he was living under a false identity with fraudulent documentation. Despite contesting extradition, Italian authorities transferred him to the United States in April 2018, where he eventually pleaded guilty to reduced charges.
From Comfortable Confinement to Harsh Reality
The transition from U.S. to Mexican custody represents more than a change in jurisdiction. The Federal Correctional Institution Thomson in Illinois, while still a prison, offered significantly better conditions than what Yarrington likely faces in Mexico’s penal system. American facilities generally provide more humane living conditions, better security protocols, and fewer instances of internal violence compared to their Mexican counterparts.
“Mexico’s prison system is characterized by massive overcrowding, deteriorating physical facilities, poorly trained and vastly underpaid guards and other prison officials, system-wide corruption, and, most fundamentally, lack of money.”, said Human Rights Watch.
The investigation and prosecution of Yarrington showcased international cooperation in combating corruption and organized crime. Multiple agencies collaborated in the case, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Now Mexican authorities will determine his fate as they prosecute him for organized crime activities and his alleged role in facilitating drug trafficking operations during his time in office.
