'Pay up or else'; Zhenli Ye Gon, the Chinese businessman who laundered money in Mexico and claimed he was threatened

Businessman Zhenli Ye Gon, of Chinese-Mexican origin, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for money laundering. The conviction follows a 2007 raid on his Mexico City residence, where authorities discovered over $205 million in cash. The seizure was one of the largest cash hauls in Mexico's history.

Ye Gon alleges that he was coerced into storing the illicit funds by government officials. He claims they threatened him with the phrase "coopelas o cuello," a colloquialism meaning "pay up or you're dead" or "cooperate or face dire consequences." This accusation points to potential corruption within the government circles at the time.

Further investigations by Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) in 2008 revealed that Ye Gon, as the legal representative and shareholder of Constructora Inmobiliaria Federal S.A. de C.V., conducted numerous foreign currency transfers exceeding $33 million to tax havens. These transactions were reportedly aimed at concealing the origins of money derived from the sale of chemicals. He also faces accusations related to irregular aircraft purchases and aviation services through a company with a history of such dealings.