Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR) has requested a new arrest warrant against businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, the majority shareholder of the Miss Universe Organization, accusing the businessman of participating in an alleged money laundering scheme, according to federal sources cited by Agencia Reforma.
The latest request comes as Rocha Cantú remains a fugitive from Mexican authorities under a separate arrest warrant tied to an investigation into alleged organized crime, arms trafficking and the smuggling of hydrocarbons from Guatemala. The allegations are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has found Rocha Cantú guilty of any crime.
Federal prosecutors submitted the new case before a judge at the Federal Criminal Justice Center located at the Altiplano maximum-security prison in the State of Mexico. The judge has not yet approved the requested arrest warrant.
New investigation centers on alleged money laundering
The new case focuses on the alleged crime of operations involving resources of illicit origin, the legal term used in Mexico for money laundering.
According to Reforma, prosecutors are seeking arrest warrants for Rocha Cantú and two other businessmen:
- Alberto Charlan Salazar
- Andrés Javier Vázquez Ruiz
The investigation stems from a complaint filed on Dec. 2, 2025, by Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) before the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Investigations into Money Laundering, Counterfeit Currency and Currency Alteration.
Authorities allege the three businessmen participated in a financial structure that used companies, bank accounts and individuals to move funds suspected of originating from illegal activities.
Investigators identify Rocha Cantú as the alleged principal beneficiary, controller and corporate operator of the network.
Hundreds of bank accounts under investigation
The UIF is examining a series of financial transactions involving companies allegedly linked to the investigation.
According to the case file, authorities are reviewing:
- Real estate purchases totaling nearly 7 million pesos made through cashier's checks.
- Transfers between related companies.
- Financial transactions involving individual account holders.
- Corporate transactions worth tens or even hundreds of millions of pesos.
- Approximately 500 frozen bank accounts connected to the investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed the total amount of money allegedly laundered or specified which transactions are directly attributed to each of the three businessmen.
Separate from organized crime investigation
The new money laundering case is independent from the criminal investigation that has already placed Rocha Cantú under an active arrest warrant.
That earlier investigation began in November 2024 and involves allegations of:
- Organized crime.
- Hydrocarbon smuggling, commonly known in Mexico as huachicol .
- Arms trafficking.
- Drug trafficking.
- Participation in an alleged criminal organization.
Federal prosecutors confirmed those allegations in late 2025, when they sought an initial arrest warrant under a separate criminal case handled by Mexico's Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime.
Cooperation agreement revoked
According to Reforma, prosecutors initially granted Rocha Cantú a cooperation agreement that allowed him to assist investigators as a witness in the arms trafficking and fuel smuggling investigation.
The Attorney General's Office later revoked that agreement after determining the businessman failed to comply with its conditions, including appearing before federal prosecutors when required.
As a result, authorities reactivated the original arrest warrant, and Rocha Cantú has remained a fugitive while investigators pursue both criminal cases.
Rocha Cantú, who became internationally known after acquiring a controlling stake in the Miss Universe Organization, has not publicly responded to the latest allegations. Mexican authorities have not disclosed his current whereabouts.
The allegations remain under investigation, and the new arrest warrant request has not yet been approved by the court. Under Mexican law, Rocha Cantú is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
