Federal prosecutors have charged two Mexican nationals living in Texas with bribing officials at Mexico’s state-owned oil company, PEMEX.
Petróleos Mexicanos, better known as Pemex, is Mexico’s state-owned oil giant. 2024 data from Statista shows the company held assets worth roughly $109 billion and employed about 128,616 people. As one of the nation’s largest employers and a major contributor to government tax revenue, Pemex plays a central role in Mexico’s economy.
The bribery scheme allegedly tried to secure lucrative contracts for their businesses from PEMEX, according to the Department of Justice.
“This indictment should send a clear message that the Criminal Division will not tolerate those who enrich corrupt officials for personal gain and to the detriment of the fair market,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti.
The indictment, unsealed Monday in the Southern District of Texas, alleges that Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez of The Woodlands and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga of Spring, Texas, conspired to pay at least $150,000 in bribes to win over and retain business with PEMEX and its “exploration subsidiary” company, PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP).
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2021, the defendants allegedly offered cash, luxury items from brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hublot, and other valuable goods to at least three different PEMEX and PEP officials. These payments were reportedly meant to influence officials to favor companies associated with Rovirosa, supposedly helping his companies secure contracts valued at $2.5 million or even more.
Rovirosa and Avila now face multiple counts under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years per count.
Rovirosa was taken into custody on Sunday and released after posting $1 million bail, allowing him to remain free while awaiting trial. He entered a not guilty plea the following day.
Avila remains on the run as a fugitive, as of the time of publication.
“Bribery harms fair competition, erodes public trust, and will not be tolerated. Today’s indictment underscores the commitment of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, to fairness for communities in Texas and beyond,” said Assistant Director Jose Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigation Division.
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