FGR denies political persecution against Ernesto Ruffo; affirms case investigations are solid

Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR) has firmly denied any political bias in the arrest of Ernesto Ruffo Appel, the former governor of Baja California. Ruffo Appel is accused of heading a significant fuel theft ring, an operation the FGR states is legally sound and based strictly on judicial actions.

The FGR emphasized that the investigation into the alleged network, described as the largest of its kind involving train transport, has meticulously followed due process. This includes respecting the presumption of innocence and human rights for Ruffo Appel and seven other individuals implicated in the case. The alleged scheme is reported to have caused a fiscal deficit exceeding 4 billion pesos.

According to the FGR, the investigations are robust, supported by substantial evidence. This includes expert opinions, analyses of ministerial, fiscal, financial, customs, and railway data, along with various procedures that have established the probable involvement of the accused in organized crime and smuggling offenses. The FGR indicated that the criminal network, reportedly operated by the company INGEMAR, received substantial funding from Crismon Hidrocarburos y Derivados, S.A. de C.V.

Financial flows were allegedly channeled through international transfers to foreign companies like Belar Fuels Company and Unico Commodities, forming a financial scheme with indications of resource triangulation. The FGR noted that INGEMAR's financial activities, particularly transactions exceeding 3 billion pesos through a Grupo Financiero Intercam account between June 2024 and July 2025, were inconsistent with its fiscal profile. These investigations are part of a broader, months-long strategy involving intelligence gathering, financial analysis, scientific research, and inter-institutional coordination.