Ex-Governor Cesar Duarte Arrested on Money Laundering Charges

Cesar Duarte, former governor of Chihuahua, was arrested for alleged money laundering. Accused of diverting over 96 million pesos during 2011-2014, Duarte was previously extradited from the U.S. for embezzlement charges. He is set for transfer to a maximum security prison in the State of Mexico.

Cesar Duarte, the former governor of Chihuahua, was apprehended on Monday, facing allegations of money laundering, as announced by Mexico's attorney general's office. Duarte's involvement in financial misconduct while serving as a public servant is under scrutiny.

The former leader of the northern border state under the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) from 2010 to 2016, Duarte is accused of orchestrating the diversion of more than 96 million pesos, equivalent to $6.5 million at the time, from government funds between 2011 and 2014.

Following his arrest, Duarte, who had been on parole in Chihuahua, is slated for transfer to a maximum security prison in the State of Mexico. Previously, he was extradited to Mexico from the U.S. in June 2022 on embezzlement charges, after extensive legal proceedings beginning with his detention in Miami in July 2020. The U.S. government expressed interest in further prosecution on additional charges in 2024, despite Duarte's consistent denials of criminal activity.

(With inputs from agencies.)