Romanian Mafia Boss Tries to Claw His Way Out of Arrest in Quintana Roo

A video of Tudor’s arrest appeared on social media networks recently, in which Tudor can be seen physically struggling against the FGR agents arresting him. “They’re picking me up, they’re picking me up!” followed by “They are drowning me,” as he is pushed past a security fence. “I feel bad, they are killing me!” 

Following this video, the Secretary of Foreign Relations announced that Florian’s extradition would be very fast. However that same day a federal court issued an outright suspension that blocked Florian Tudor’s extradition.

So how did we arrive here? What led to this dramatic display by a kicking and screaming man? And what federal officials have enabled him to circumvent the extradition process so deftly?

The Convoluted Legal Battle of Florian Tudor

What follows is a brief timeline of the events surrounding Florian Tudor, alleged leader of a Romanian mafia organization called the Riviera Maya Gang which operates in Quintana Roo, Mexico.  It has been compiled together based on Milenio newspaper’s incredible reporting and previous reporting by Borderland Beat.  

February 4 2021

The head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) announced that 79 individuals and companies with ties to the Romanian mafia would have their accounts frozen. Florian Tudor’s name appeared on this list of individuals. 

February 8 2021 

Milenio newspaper released details of a document that was presented at a 2020 Security Cabinet meeting. The document revealed a confidential network of government collaborators linked to Romanian mafia groups operating in Mexico, based on information collected by the US FBI and DEA. The document asserts that the Romanian mafia had managed to weave a network of public officials and shell companies in 14 Mexican states, which further enabled their criminal operations based out of Cancun, Quintana Roo.

René Bejarano, who was part of the founding group of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) and the former president of the PRD in Mexico City was alleged in the document to have strong ties to the criminal group. Although it is important to note that politicians from all political parties were linked to the Romania mafia within the document, including two former Cancun mayors. That same day René Bejarano publicly denied he had any ties to the Romanian mafia. 

February 10 2021

Milenio newspaper announced they had conducted an investigation based on intelligence documents and top-level sources with knowledge of the case in order to reconstruct the way in which the network led by Florian Tudor managed to violate the financial institution’s security mechanisms. 

February 15 2021 

Florian Tudor’s petition that he filed against the FGR was admitted by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation who agreed to process his request. The petition was filed on the basis that the search for firearms on a property belonging to Florian Tudor in 2019 that led to his arrest was conducted “incorrectly”. For this reason, a federal judge called the arrest illegal and ordered his release and annulled all the evidence obtained by the prosecution. The resolution was ratified by the Second Unitary Court residing in Quintana Roo.  

February 16 2021 

The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) received a formal complaint from the UIF which asked for the FGR to investigate the alleged network of politicians and officials involved with the Romanian mafia groups. 

On that same day, Florian Tudor released a letter in which he denies he is involved in the criminal acts he has been accused of. He asserted that those criminal accusations are being made against him out of a desire to harm both him and his family. Tudor says that he is an honest businessman who is dedicated to installing ATMs. He states that he had no involvement with card cloning at ATMs and that he is being framed. 

February 25 2021

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, who agreed to process Florian Tudor’s request, officially refuses to exercise its power of attraction to hear the lawsuit he filed. 

March 23 2021 

A Romanian court officially ordered Tudor’s arrest on charge of attempted homicide, racketeering and creation of an organized crime network. The Romanian government requested Mexico’s cooperation in carrying out the arrest of Florian Tudor. 

April 13 2021 

Mexican Federal Judge granted a provisional suspension to Florian Tudor. This provisional suspension temporarily prevents his deportation, detention or apprehension. 

May 27 2021

A Mexican Federal Judge issued an arrest warrant against Florian Tudor. He was arrested by members of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). Aforementioned dramatic kicking and screaming display ensued.  

The FGR later stated that during the arrest, an agent of the Federal Public Ministry tried to stop Tudor’s apprehension. They also state that Tudor’s lawyer tried to beat up Federal Ministerial Police agents. 

The former secretary of Public Security for Quinta Roo, Alberto Capella gave an interview in which he revealed the investigation into Florian Tudor had started two years prior to his arrest. He stated that Tudor made those years especially arduous through filing several lawsuits against investigators. Capella compared Tudor to the type of character seen only in movies, adding “it seems impressive how he was co-opting corrupt politicians to create a kind of shield.”  

May 28 2021

Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Foreign Relations told the press that the extradition process of Florian Tudor would be very fast. However, Ebrand made it clear that the process is in the hands of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR).

A federal court in Mexico City stopped the extradition of Florian Tudor by granting him, this time, an outright suspension.