Mexican Judge Issues Arrest Warrant for Miss Universe Co-owner

A federal judge in Mexico has issued a new arrest warrant for businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant, after the Attorney General's Office declared him a fugitive from justice and withdrew the agreement that allowed him to collaborate as a witness in an organized crime investigation linked to the illegal smuggling of fuels. The investigation identifies Rocha Cantú as an alleged member of an organized crime network dedicated to hydrocarbon smuggling — known in Mexico as 'huachicol' — as well as the trafficking of firearms. According to the Attorney General, this scheme included leadership and financing functions within the criminal structure. The judge ordered Rocha Cantú's detention for the crime of organized crime, as the investigated network aimed to traffic firearms and hydrocarbons. According to the court file, Rocha Cantú — who acquired 50% of the Miss Universe pageant in 2024 — is said to have held leadership and financing roles within the investigated criminal structure, in addition to maintaining ties with other members to obtain information and operate the alleged scheme. Mexican authorities confirmed the arrest of Jacobo Reyes León, Rocha Cantú's partner, who is identified as the alleged leader of a criminal group dedicated to fuel, arms, and drug smuggling. 'Police reports indicate that he does not have a registered domicile within the national territory where he can be located (...) there is even an updated risk of flight due to his financial capacity, which could allow him to leave the country at any moment, leaving his illegal acts unpunished and going to seek refuge in another nation,' the document states. With this determination by District Judge Octavio Alarcón Terrón, from the Specialized Court in the Accusatory Penal System at the Federal Criminal Justice Center in Querétaro, the opportunity agreement that allowed him to collaborate as a witness in the investigation is nullified. The investigation, made public on December 15, details that Rocha Cantú was summoned on various dates between December 8 and 12 to give a statement, but he failed to appear after requesting that his testimony be held remotely, citing security concerns. Furthermore, the warrant warns of a flight risk, citing a 'very high probability' that the accused will not return to Mexican territory due to his multiple assets both inside and outside the country, as well as his economic power. The warrant is based, among other points, on the 'need for caution' expressed by the authorities, as it was not possible to locate the suspects at previously registered addresses, making apprehension the necessary means to bring them to justice. According to the National Registry of Detentions, Reyes León, alias 'El Yaicob' or 'El Lic', voluntarily surrendered last Monday to agents of the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) in Mexico City. The Attorney General's Office also maintained that the organization sought to commit crimes related to drug trafficking, but the judge indicated that there was not enough evidence to support that accusation.