Zhenli Ye Gon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
In an interview with the news agency AP, Ye Gon claimed that he kept the money found recently in his house after having his life as well as his family's lives threatened by Mexico's PAN party. Ye Gon further accused a person called "Javier Alarcón" of also threatening him physically. The accusation was interpreted by Secretary of Labor Javier Lozano Alarcón as being defamatory and hired a large New York firm to try to silence Ye Gon and his defense team from making any further accusations against Alarcon. Weeks later, Ye Gon's defense team stated that only Mexican President Calderon may not have known what his political party was doing with respect to its relations with Ye Gon.
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[edit] Case
According to Ye Gon, Alarcón told him coopela o cuello (literally, "co-operate or neck"), meaning if he did not cooperate, he would be killed. Also it should be established that in true Spanish grammar, the phrase would be coopera o cuello; this since coopela is a similar effect in Spanish as Engrish.
Ye Gon said that the money's ultimate destination was to the presidential campaign of Felipe Calderón, the current president. However, Calderón has claimed that there is no truth behind the accusations. In an interview on July 18, 2007, Ye Gon said that President Calderón was not part of the controversy.
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 ([5]).
Gon is currently wanted in 180 countries by Interpol[6] 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.[7]
[edit] Assets seized
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[8])
- 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.[9] Two Mexican Federal agents that were involved in the arrests at the Zhenli Ye Gon mansion were found dead in the Mexican southern state of Guerrero, as reported on August 2, 2007.[10]
[edit] Origins of the Money
According to the Mexican authorities, Ye Gon's money is 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.
[edit] Fugitive
Zhenli Ye Gon fled from Mexico to the United States. The Mexican government has requested the U.S. Justice Department for his extradition. However he claims innocence and has hired legal firm McMahon and Associates.
On July 18, through his lawyers, he held a press conference, and via telephone, once more he claimed his innocence.
On July 23, he was detained in Rockville, Maryland.
Ye Gon has been charged with only one Count - Conspiracy to traffic 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from Mexico into the US. His first hearing before a federal district judge in Washington, DC is set for August 3, 2007.
[edit] 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 ] [2]
[edit] References
- ^ 華商葉真理在美被控販毒 (Chinese Businessman Ye Zhenli Accused in the US on Drug Charges) (Traditional Chinese). hkheadline.com (2007-07-25). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
- ^ Not Your Average Drug Bust. The Washington Post (2007-07-25). Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
- ^ MILENIO.COM » Busca INTERPOL al chino de Operación Dragón en Las Lomas
- ^ AP News on Chron.com
- ^ MILENIO.COM » Busca INTERPOL al chino de Operación Dragón en Las Lomas
- ^ La Operación Dragón pone al descubierto red de narcos y traficantes de personas - La Jornada
- ^ ¿El policía chino..? / 11 de Febrero de 2008
- ^ Bank of Mexico Centenario Description
- ^ Busca Interpol en 180 países a "Midas" por decomiso millonario
- ^ [1]
