Swiss to send $74 mn of Raul Salinas' money back to Mexico

18/6/2008 - 19:23(GMT)

Geneva, Jun 18 (EFE)- Swiss authorities said Wednesday that they will hand over to Mexico $74 million from the accounts of the brother of former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

It was 13 years ago that officials here froze $110 million belonging to Raul Salinas de Gortari after a Swiss bank detected possible money laundering.

Because the funds originated in Mexico, Switzerland left it up to authorities in the Latin American country to determine whether the money was the proceeds of illicit activity.

Mexican investigators proved that $66 million of the money in Raul Salinas' accounts had been embezzled from public funds and deposited in Mexico's banking system before being shifted to Switzerland, the Swiss government said in a statement.

The $74 million to be turned over to Mexico represents those embezzled funds plus interest, the statement said.

"This case bears witness to Switzerland's firm resolve to oppose those who use its financial system for criminal ends and to restore funds of criminal origin to the victims," the government said.

Raul Salinas was released from a Mexican prison in 2005 after serving 10 years of a nearly 30-year prison sentence for the killing of a political rival.

His release came after a court voided his conviction for the 1994 murder of former Institutional Revolutionary Party Secretary-General Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu.

But Raul still faces charges for illicit enrichment during the 1988-1994 administration of Carlos Salinas, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Ireland and Britain since leaving office amid a financial crisis. EFE is/dr

Terra/EFE