Former Mexican Governor Tomas Yarrington has been deported to his homeland after serving a 9-year prison sentence in the United States for money laundering, now facing a new legal battle in a maximum security prison near Mexico City.
At a Glance
- Tomas Yarrington, former Governor of Tamaulipas (1999-2005), was deported after serving a 108-month U.S. prison sentence for money laundering
- He accepted $3.5 million in bribes during his governorship and laundered the money through luxury U.S. property purchases
- Arrested in Italy in 2017 under a fake identity, he was extradited to the U.S. in 2018 after fighting extradition
- Yarrington, once a presidential candidate with Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, now faces organized crime charges in Mexico
- He is currently being held in a maximum security prison near Mexico City
From Governor to Convicted Criminal
Tomas Jesus Yarrington Ruvalcaba, who served as Governor of the violence-plagued border state of Tamaulipas from 1999 to 2005, has been deported to Mexico after completing his prison term in the United States. The former politician, who once harbored presidential ambitions and ran as a candidate with Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party in 2005, pleaded guilty in 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering charges. His fall from political prominence became complete when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials transported him back to Mexican soil where he now faces additional legal troubles.
During his time as Governor, Yarrington accepted approximately $3.5 million in bribes to facilitate business dealings with the state government. Rather than keeping these illegal funds in plain sight, he embarked on an elaborate money laundering scheme, purchasing luxury properties throughout the United States through nominee buyers to conceal the illicit origin of the money. This criminal financial activity ultimately led to his downfall and subsequent legal troubles in both the United States and Mexico.
Arrest and U.S. Prosecution
Yarrington’s criminal journey took a decisive turn in 2017 when Italian authorities arrested him. At the time of his capture, he was living under a false identity, attempting to evade the international search that had been underway. Despite his efforts to fight extradition, Italian officials transferred him to U.S. custody in 2018, where he faced serious federal charges. The legal process culminated in 2021 when Yarrington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, resulting in a 108-month prison sentence in a federal facility.
The former Governor’s deportation came after a judge ordered his removal from the United States, a decision Yarrington chose not to appeal. Following the completion of his prison term, ICE officers took custody of him and coordinated his return to Mexico. The transfer occurred at the international boundary of the Brownsville Port of Entry in Texas, where Mexican law enforcement officials were waiting to take him into custody, marking the beginning of the next chapter in his legal saga.
New Legal Battles in Mexico
Upon his return to Mexico, Yarrington was immediately transferred to a maximum security prison near the capital. Mexican authorities had been anticipating his deportation, preparing to prosecute him on charges of organized crime and conducting transactions with illegally obtained resources. These allegations date back to 2009 when he was first accused of links to drug trafficking and money laundering, though Mexican officials have not released full details about the specific charges he now faces.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat corruption among high-level officials in Mexico, particularly those with ties to the violence and drug trafficking that have plagued border states like Tamaulipas. Yarrington’s prosecution in both countries underscores international cooperation in pursuing former officials who abuse their positions of power for personal gain, regardless of their previous political status or influence.
