Mexico’s federal prosecutor’s office (FGR) has opened a new line of investigation into César Jáuregui Moreno, the former state prosecutor of Chihuahua, over alleged corruption involving casinos and front men (“prestanombres”). The FGR announced it in a statement on October 23, 2026. The probe follows a meeting between Attorney General Ernestina Godoy and Chihuahua Governor María Eugenia “Maru” Campos, who made the allegations.
So far, no casino, front man, permit holder or location has been publicly identified. No formal charge has been filed over these claims.
What the FGR said
According to the statement, the governor undertook to provide information on the casinos and front men, and that prompted the new line of investigation. The wording says Campos would supply the data; no report confirms she has already handed it over.
The meeting took place “in recent days”, with no exact date given, at Godoy’s office and at the governor’s request. David Boone de la Garza, head of the FGR’s regional control unit (FECOR), also attended.
The same statement says Campos held the former prosecutor responsible for the events in Chihuahua involving foreign nationals. The FGR did not specify what information it received or what steps it will take, nor whether that information played a role in Jáuregui’s arrest.
Speaking after opening FGR offices in Hidalgo, Godoy said Campos told her the former prosecutor “was a corrupt person, who had casinos, who had front men.”
Sheinbaum’s account
At her morning press conference on October 23, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Campos had told her at an earlier meeting that the former prosecutor owned casinos, something the state government reportedly found when the prosecutor was replaced. Sheinbaum said she replied: “Procede” (go ahead). Press reports place that meeting on September 19 in a room at the Ciudad Juárez airport; this has not been confirmed by official sources.
The underlying case
Jáuregui, who resigned on April 27, already faces two criminal cases: a federal treason case, with pretrial detention, and a state case for illegal exercise of public service. The background case dates to April 19, when two US agents and two Mexican officials died in a road crash returning from an anti-drug operation in El Pinal, in the municipality of Morelos. Federal investigators say the US agents took part without the authorization Mexican law requires.
Accounts differ. Godoy says Campos knew the federal charge would be treason; the governor has denied this in several interviews. Campos has also said it was the acting state prosecutor, Gilberto Loya Chávez, who agreed with Godoy to file charges. Campos and Sheinbaum both deny any deal between them.
What it means for operators and affiliates
For now, this is an allegation by a governor, relayed by the FGR and the presidency, inside a politically charged case. No casino has been named and no charge has been filed, so it should not be read as action against any operator.
Still, it touches sensitive ground. Casinos in Mexico operate under federal permits from the Interior Ministry (Segob) under the Federal Gaming and Raffles Law. If the front-man allegations were substantiated, they would point to hidden ownership of venues in Chihuahua, which could lead to checks on permit holders and the companies running their venues in the state.
Front-man cases also tend to bring scrutiny of beneficial ownership and anti-money-laundering controls, potentially involving the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF). Operators with land-based presence in Chihuahua may want to make sure their shareholding and beneficial-ownership records are in order.
The sensible approach is to follow official FGR and Segob communications and not treat claims as fact until they are backed by documents.
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