The Veracruz government and the judiciary are pursuing several lines of investigation into an alleged network of fraud and real estate dispossession that operated for years in various regions of the state, particularly in Xalapa, Perote, and San Rafael.
Authorities reiterated that no official involved will be protected and that the cases will be pursued to their fullest extent.
According to the Secretary of Government, this is not a “cartel” in the traditional criminal sense, but rather a network of fraudsters comprised of notaries, Public Registry of Property personnel, lawyers, and private individuals, who allegedly exploited legal loopholes and possible institutional complicity to defraud citizens of their property.
The Secretary of Government, Ricardo Ahued Bardahuil, stated that this network had been operating for years but was “brought to a halt” under the current administration.
Among the practices detected were the misuse of official seals, the irregular registration of private contracts to facilitate land grabs, the expediting of procedures through unofficial payments, and the involvement of unlicensed lawyers who primarily targeted senior citizens.
According to the legal framework in force in Veracruz, the alleged crimes described fall under, among others, the criminal offenses of fraud, abuse of authority, improper exercise of public service, and use of false documents, as stipulated in the state’s Penal Code. These offenses can carry prison sentences and fines when public officials are involved or when there is repeated financial harm.
Furthermore, the Notary Law for the State of Veracruz empowers the Executive Branch, through the General Directorate of the Public Registry and the General Directorate of Notary Inspection and Archives, to conduct ordinary and extraordinary inspections of notary offices when there is evidence of irregularities, with the authority to impose temporary suspensions or revoke notary licenses.
These powers have been identified by state authorities as one of the main mechanisms for documenting and curbing real estate dispossession schemes, particularly in cases involving older adults, considered a priority group under the Law on the Rights of Older Adults.
Source: excelsior
