Former Mexico City mayor sentenced to seven-plus years in prison for embez

[Judi Lynn]

Former Mexico City mayor sentenced to seven-plus years in prison for embezzlement

ASSOCIATED PRESS
6:58 p.m. June 3, 2005

MEXICO CITY – A judge Friday sentenced a former Mexico City mayor and tourism secretary to seven years, six months in prison for embezzling government funds – but appeals could still keep him out of prison.

Oscar Espinosa Villarreal becomes one of the highest-ranking officials in Mexican history to be convicted of criminal wrongdoing. He served as mayor of the nation's capital from 1994 to 1998, then was a member of President Ernesto Zedillo's Cabinet as the government's top tourism official until 2000.

He eventually fled to Nicaragua and applied for asylum amid charges he stole US$45 million from city coffers, but was extradited back to this country in August 2001. He took advantage of a bail bond – and a court injunction against his arrest, however, to avoid going to prison during his trial.

As part of his sentence, Espinosa Villareal was ordered to pay more than 285 million pesos (US$26 million, (euro21 million) in reparations to parties he wronged.
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20050603-1858-mexico-officialsentenced.html