Mexican Mayor Accused of Faking Kidnapping to Conceal $2 Million Embezzlement

A mayor in Mexico is accused of staging her own kidnapping to cover a $2 million embezzlement of public funds. Nancy Nápoles, the municipal president of Tenancingo in the State of Mexico, denies the allegations and claims the case is politically motivated. Nápoles is a member of Morena, the party led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, which has prioritized combating corruption.

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I deny it outright. This did not happen, and the municipality is financially healthy.

Local authorities reported that Nápoles is scheduled to testify on July 9 regarding the alleged "simulation of kidnapping." While there is no arrest warrant for her, her husband and brother-in-law are fugitives and sought by authorities. According to the prosecution, armed men forced Nápoles out of her car, basing their case on testimonies from the three "kidnappers," who have since been detained.

During her alleged captivity, the captors threatened to kill Nápoles and her family if she did not pay "40 million pesos for her freedom," equivalent to $2.3 million. They reportedly advised her to take the money from municipal resources if she could not access the funds. Authorities claim an unexpected witness alerted the police, forcing the perpetrators to abort the kidnapping, and Nápoles was found on a deserted road.

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40 million pesos for her freedom

Nápoles stated she "took advantage of a lapse in her captors' attention" to escape. However, the investigation revealed inconsistencies in her account, leading authorities to suspect her husband and brother-in-law of orchestrating the "false kidnapping" to justify the missing public funds due to an embezzlement. "I deny it outright," Nápoles stated. "This did not happen, and the municipality is financially healthy."

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take it from municipal resources

She expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation to "clarify these events" and "punish the real culprits." The prosecution has phone records showing over 150 calls between Nápoles' husband and the alleged kidnappers, who were offered approximately $28,000. Faking a kidnapping is punishable by up to 16 years in prison. Images of Nápoles participating in campaign events for President Sheinbaum have circulated on social media, highlighting the party's emphasis on government honesty.

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simulation of kidnapping