Mexican authorities will file a sixth lawsuit against Emilio Lozoya

The Financial Intelligence Unit ( UIF ), a government department under the Finance Ministry, announced it is working on a sixth lawsuit against Emilio Lozoya , the former Pemex chief. The latest lawsuit is linked to his alleged involvement in the Odebrecht case.

During a press conference, Santiago Nieto , the head of the UIF, said the lawsuit is linked to the public contracts Pemex granted to Odebrecht during Lozoya’s administration.

So far, the Financial Intelligence Unit has filed five lawsuits against Lozoya Austin.

The other lawsuits filed by the UIF deal with the purchase of a Spanish shipyard , the acquisition of the Agronitrogenados fertilizer plant, bribes from Odebrecht, fuel theft at sea, and money laundering through Yacani , a company owned by Marielle Helene Eckes, Lozoya’s wife.

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Agronitrogenados

During this hearing, Mexican authorities confirmed Emilio Lozoya was unwell upon his arrival in Mexico. Authorities said he had anemia and suffered from Barrett's esophagus; he was diagnosed while imprisoned in Spain.

The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) announced it launched an investigation against Emilio Lozoya Austin on May 25, 2019, for the purchase of a luxurious home using illicit resources. The FGR informed the former Pemex chief that the investigation also includes his sister, Gilda Lozoya, and businessman Alonso Ancira.

The FGR made more shocking claims during the hearing. The Attorney General’s Office said that Alonso Ancira transferred USD 3 million to a bank account owned by Gilda Lozoya on November 28, 2012.

During the hearing, the FGR explained that the MXN 34,234,000 Emilio Lozoya received from Alonso Ancira was used to purchase a home in Lomas de Bezares, in Mexico City.

Lozoya Austin also claimed that regarding the purchase of Agronitrogenados, he was “systematically intimidated, pressured, and instrumentalized.” He said he will denounce those who pressured him.

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Odebrecht

A federal judge bound Emilio Lozoya over for trial over conspiracy, money laundering, and bribery charges in connection with the Odebrecht case. The former Pemex chief was one of the first Mexicans to face charges in connection with the bribery scandal.

During the Odebrecht hearing, prosecutors explained Lozoya had a close relationship with Odebrecht’s former director in Mexico, Luis de Meneses Weyll, when he allegedly gave Lozoya Austin USD 4 million for Enrique Peña Nieto’s campaign in 2012. In exchange for the bribes, the Brazilian construction company would receive government contracts once Peña Nieto took office.

Prosecutors added that the former Pemex chief helped Luis de Meneses to meet with Mexican businessmen and obtain contracts for projects in Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Hidalgo.

Moreover, the Mexican government argues that Emilio Lozoya Austin received USD 6 million in bribes from Odebrecht while he led Pemex.

In total, the Brazilian construction company obtained USD 39 million in profits after being granted several government contracts.

Authorities investigate a company owned by Marielle Helene Eckes

Marielle Helene Eckes, who is married to Emilio Lozoya, associated with a lawyer who works for Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) to create a company that was allegedly investigated for money laundering and bribery.

According to the information published by NGO Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity, the Attorney General's Office found several links between Emilio Lozoya's family and operators from Altos Hornos de México.

The relationship between Emilio Lozoya's family and AHMSA is quite close because a “lawyer who works for Altos Hornos de México partnered with the wife of the former Pemex director in a real estate company that is being investigated by authorities."

Yacani was founded on November 25, 2014, by Marielle Helene Eckes, Lozoya's wife as a Mexican company with foreign investment from Germany, where she is from. The company provides real estate services and rentals.

“The investigations suggest that Yacani transferred resources from an alleged unlawful origin and therefore, authorities ordered to block bank accounts owned by the company and Lozoya's wife.”

Tannia Beatriz López Abud, the partner and the legal representative of Yacani, has worked as a lawyer at AHMSA, according to documents.

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