Zhenli Ye Gon

Zhenli Ye Gon (traditional Chinese: 葉真理;^[1] born January 31, 1963, Shanghai, China^[2]) is a Mexican business man of Chinese origin accused of trafficking pseudoephedrine into Mexico from Asia. He is the legal representative of Unimed Pharm Chem México.

U.S. Case Against Ye Gon

Zhenli Ye Gon was charged in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia with one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, knowing or intending that it would be imported into the United States. He was arrested on July 23, 2007, and is awaiting trial in Washington, DC. From the date of his arrest, Mr. Ye Gon has maintained his innocence. Zhenli Ye Gon is represented by Martin F. McMahon, of McMahon and Associates, and recently hired two prominent, criminal defense attorneys from Washington, D.C. to assist in his defense: Manuel J. Retureta, of Retureta & Wassem, P.L.L.C., and A. Eduardo Balarezo.

The government of Mexico has requested that the United States extradite Mr. Ye Gon. That request is currently also being litigated in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Mexican Case

In March of 2007, the Mexican government entered Mr. Ye Gon's home and seized millions of dollars in cash. In an interview with the news agency AP, Mr. Ye Gon explained he agreed to keep the money in his home after his life, as well as those of his family, were threatened by members of Mexico's PAN party.

The Chinese citizens (Yen Yongging and Fu Huaxin) were apprehended^[3] on July 23, 2007.^[4] On December 5 United Pharm Chem had seen 19,497 kilos of pseudoephedrine seized ^[3].

Gon is currently wanted in 180 countries by Interpol^[5] and was said to be in the U.S. as he was supposedly spotted in Las Vegas at the moment of the seizure of the cash and in New York afterwards.^[6]

Assets seized

Part of the U.S. currency seized during the raid.

The fortune, found by the police on March 15, 2007 at his residence at Lomas de Chapultepec in Mexico City included the following:

• 205 million U.S. dollars
• 18 million Mexican pesos
• 200,000 euros
• 113,000 Hong Kong dollars
• 11 centenarios (Mexican gold bullion coins made of 1.20565 oz t (37.5 g) of pure gold^[7])
• A great amount of jewels, of unknown value

Confiscated along with the money were also:

• Two Mexican-style dwellings of approximately 20 million pesos
• 1 lab in construction of unknown value
• 7 vehicles

Nine persons were arrested, four of them of Asian origin.^[8]

Two Mexican Federal agents who were involved in the arrests at the Zhenli Ye Gon mansion were found dead in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, as reported on August 2, 2007.^[9]

Origins of the Money

According to the Mexican authorities, Ye Gon's money is the product of drug-trafficking activities. However Ye Gon asserts that he was forced by Javier Alarcón, putatively identified as the Secretary of Labor, to keep it at his home, and that this money would be used during Felipe Calderón's presidential campaign in 2005-2006.

In pop culture

the phrase "coopela o cuello" with heavy Chinese accent became a popular catchphrase in Mexico. Jokes, references in TV and radio , and even songs have been made referring to this incident.

[VIDEO OF THE "COOPELA O CUELLO" SONG ] [1]

References

External links

• Asegura PGR cuentas a Zhenli Ye Gon
• La vida íntima de un “empresario” chino
• One ton of cash (Article in German language: Eine Tonne Cash)