SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican businessman created businesses in San Antonio to purchase land locally with bribes he accepted from Mexican drug cartels, a federal indictment alleges.
Fernando Alejandro Cano Martinez, 55, of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, is also accused of taking millions in bribes from the Gulf and Zetas cartels and delivering it to Institutional Revolutionary Party members, including Tomas Yarrington, who served as governor of Tamaulipas state from 1999 to 2004, the indictment stated. No criminal charges have been filed.
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Yarrington's attorney says he's reviewing the documents.
According to the indictment, Cano formed a business to illegally purchase 46 acres of land near The Shops at La Cantera for $6.6 million in July 2006. Cano then created three other businesses and used laundered money to purchase 283 acres of land on Culebra Road in two separate transactions in July 2006 and August 2006, the indictment alleges.
U.S. authorities are trying to confiscate the 46-acre property and a condominium in South Padre Island, which they say belongs to Yarrington.
Cano is on the run and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.