Fugitive Mexican TV host says she’s ‘innocent’ of embezzling $146 million

A Mexican TV host wanted by her government on embezzlement charges has pleaded her innocence on social media and claimed she has ‘never seen $146 million’ in her life.

Inés Gómez Mont, 38, and her lawyer husband Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga have been on the run since September 10 when the Attorney General’s Office obtained an arrest warrant. 

‘I have been silent for a few days to try to understand the facts attributed to me and to focus on my defense. Despite not having access to the file, I want to emphasize that I am innocent and have not committed any crime,’ Gómez Mont said in a statement that she posted on her Instagram account Tuesday evening.

‘Indeed, according to the press, the authorities accuse me of allegedly having received money from two public contracts (totaling 3 billion pesos) and of belonging to organized crime. Those facts are absolutely false’ she added. 

‘To be clear, I have never stolen a peso. Nor have I received money from those contracts, much less have I seen or had 3 billion pesos in my life. I’m a full-time mom and TV host. And under no circumstances do I belong to organized crime.’ 

Gómez Mont and Álvarez Puga are being charged with organized crime, misuse of public funds, and operations with resources of illicit origin.

Hours before Gómez Mont’s post, a Mexico State court judge had approved arrest warrants for 10 former officials who were allegedly part of the scheme. Each of the suspects are being charged with organized crime and money laundering.

The couple has not been seen in public and reportedly managed to flee from Mexico before authorities could place them under arrest. 

While their whereabouts remain unknown, they are suspected of hiding out in Miami where they previously owned a mansion that was purchased from Cher in December 2017 for $15.5 million and later sold in December 2020 for $17million, according to digital newspaper Sin Embargo.

According documents reviewed by digital news outlet Animal Político, Álvarez Puga also owns a condominium in midtown Manhattan and owes $15,565 in property taxes. 

Inés Gómez Mont is wanted by the Mexican government for the misuse of a 2016 contract worth $146million that she and her husband secured from the Ministry of Interior to provide security systems to seven prisons in country. A warrant for their arrest was issued September 10. On Tuesday, Gómez Mont released a statement on her Instagram account in which she claimed that I have never stolen a peso. Nor have I received money from those contracts, much less have I seen or had 3 billion pesos in my life. I’m a full-time mom and TV host.

Inés Gómez Mont, 38, and her lawyer husband Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga have been on the run since September 10 when the Attorney General’s Office obtained an arrest warrant.

According to Mexican news outlet Sin Embargo, the couple may be hiding out in Miami where in December 2017 they purchased a mansion that was owned by Cher. The property was sold in December 2020 

The Mexican Attorney General’s office is requesting Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant – known as a red notice – to expand the search and help the country locate the couple and extradite them to Mexico.

As of Wednesday, no red notices had been served for either suspect. 

Gómez Mont and Álvarez Puga could each serve 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted.  

The couple were able to obtain two contracts from the Ministry of Interior in 2016 through a ghost firm known as Inteligencia Cibernética and allegedly moved money through 1,500 banking operations.

As part of the deal, the company had to provide security system to seven jails in the states of Sonora, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Durango, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Morelos. 

A famous Mexican TV host best known for proposing to Tom Brady (pictured proposing at the game in 2008) is on the run with her husband after allegedly embezzling almost three billion pesos ($146million) from the country’s Ministry of the Interior 

Mexican TV host Inés Gómez Mont  is best known for proposing to Tom Brady at the 2008 Super Bowl media day, where she arrived wearing a wedding dress

The money was allegedly funneled to companies connected to Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga (pictured) in 2016 and 2017

‘However, that did not happen, as the equipment never reached the prisons being that the (ministry) officials diverted the money to the aforementioned company in a corrupt and illegal way (and) being that it had to be used for improvements in the security of the prison system,’ the Attorney General’s Office said in a court document.  

Inteligencia Cibernética then used seven other bogus companies named Arromlop, Rancel, Modeno, Comcelint, Gupea, Tangamanga, and an individual, to launder money and create invoices for services that were never rendered from September 2016 to 2017.  

Inés Gómez Mont told her fans on Instagram that she and her husband were unaware of the arrest warrant and would ‘exercise all our rights’ before they allegedly fled the country with their children. They are expected to be arrested once they return to Mexico

Inés Gómez Mont’s lawyer husband Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga owns an apartment at 40 West 55 street in midtown Manhattan, according to Mexican digital news outlet Animal Político

Gómez Mont is best known for proposing to NFL quarterback Tom Brady while she was wearing a wedding dress at the 2008 Super Bowl media day where she was reporting.

When Brady called on her during a press conference, she said: ‘I in love with you. Marry me, please.’ 

Brady responded by telling her she had a beautiful name before telling her he was a ‘one-woman man.’ 

He also told her she was ‘beautiful’ and ‘anyone with the opportunity to marry you would be a lucky man.’ 

Before fleeing Mexico for the United States with her husband and her children, she told fans on Instagram that they are ‘preparing to face this process and exercise all our rights.’ 

The former host for Azteca’s Los 25+ and Ventaneando, also claimed the couple were unaware of the arrest warrant. 

Gómez Mont has six children, including four from her first marriage. She and Álvarez Puga are parents to two children. 

STATEMENT RELEASED BY FUGITIVE MEXICAN TV HOST INÉS GÓMEZ MONT ON INSTAGRAM 

I have been silent for a few days to try to understand the facts attributed to me and to focus on my defense. Despite not having access to the file, I want to emphasize that I am innocent and have not committed any crime.

Indeed, according to the press, the authorities accuse me of allegedly having received money from two public contracts (totaling 3 billion pesos) and of belonging to organized crime. Those facts are absolutely false. That is, without any justification they place me on the same level as a drug dealer or terrorist. It seems to me an injustice.

To be clear, I have never stolen a peso. Nor have I received money from those contracts, much less have I seen or had 3 billion pesos in my life. I’m a full-time mom and TV host. And under no circumstances do I belong to organized crime.

I also have well-founded fear that derived from this statement that the authorities in charge of my case will be even more cruel against me, since I have been warned of more cases fabricated against me. But I can’t keep silent anymore. On the contrary, I will continue to work with my legal team to be able to defend myself and always honestly share the details of my case with them.

To everyone who knows me and who I am, thank you for your support and love.

To those who do not know me and have heard premature judgments against me, I respectfully ask for your vote of confidence.

I know who I am. For myself and my children, I will demonstrate my innocence with dignity and I will not keep silent. I repeat: I am innocent and this is an injustice.

THANK YOU

 

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