On August 4th, Saga Noticias, a program broadcast on La Saga, dedicated a significant portion of its show to Raúl Rocha Cantú. Lucero Álvarez and Max Espejel interviewed Víctor Hernández, director of the Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Estratégicos (Latin American Institute of Strategic Studies), to analyze the new legal proceedings against the co-owner of Miss Universe. During the program, the three participants examined the financial investigations, the hundreds of bank accounts involved, the companies linked to Rocha Cantú, his international exposure, and, most importantly, the potential consequences for his assets. One question dominated: if the legal proceedings uncover his assets, could his 50% stake in Miss Universe be seized or confiscated?
A new procedure for money laundering
Lucero Álvarez and Max Espejel began by noting that Raúl Rocha Cantú was now the subject of a new legal investigation concerning alleged transactions with illicit funds, a term used in Mexico for money laundering. Víctor Hernández explained that this new investigation changed the nature of the risk for the businessman: the authorities were no longer solely interested in the alleged offenses, but also in the origin of the money, its circulation, and the assets in which it may have been invested.
More than 500 bank accounts examined
Hernández then detailed the scope of the financial aspect of the investigation. Approximately 500 bank accounts are mentioned in the inquiry. Investigators are seeking to reconstruct the flows between different companies and individuals, identify the beneficiaries of the transactions, and determine the origin of the funds. Several companies have been cited in this context. Impulsora Eagle reportedly recorded approximately 122,8 million pesos in financial transactions over a year. Operadora de Alimentos y Bebidas de Naucalpan, for its part, allegedly received 437 deposits totaling over 69,5 million pesos, in addition to other transactions. The key issue is to determine whether these transactions were part of regular business activities or whether they were used to conceal or reintroduce illicit funds into the financial system.
Miss Universe directly affected by the potential confiscation
It was from this financial aspect that the discussion shifted to Miss Universe. In the excerpt subsequently shared on social media, the phrase "Se puede confiscar Miss Universe" was used, meaning "Miss Universe can be confiscated." Those involved explained that if the courts determined that an asset belonging to Rocha Cantú was acquired with funds linked to illicit activities, that asset could theoretically be seized or confiscated. Now, among the businessman's most significant assets are his 50% stake in Miss Universe.
Rocha owns half of the proprietary structure
In January 2024, JKN Global Group sold 50% of JKN Legacy Inc., the company that owns the Miss Universe brand, to Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., controlled by Raúl Rocha Cantú. The transaction was valued at $16 million. Rocha therefore not only holds a leadership role in the pageant but also indirectly controls half of its ownership structure. This stake could be implicated if investigators succeed in establishing a link between the funds under review and the acquisition of the shares.
The $16 million at the heart of the matter
Víctor Hernández emphasized the financial logic of the case: to seize an asset, authorities must be able to trace it back to the funds used to acquire it or demonstrate that the asset legally falls within the scope of seizable property. For Miss Universe, the question is therefore straightforward: where did the $16 million invested in 2024 come from? If a link were established between this sum and funds of illicit origin, Rocha's shares could be subject to asset seizure proceedings.
The Pemex aspect and the conflict of interest surrounding Fátima Bosch
Another element fuels the questions surrounding Raúl Rocha Cantú and Miss Universe. In 2023, Pemex awarded a 745,6 million peso contract to a consortium that included Soluciones Gasíferas del Sur, a company owned by Rocha Cantú. At the same time, Bernardo Bosch Hernández, father of Fátima Bosch, the future Miss Universe 2025, held a senior position within the Mexican state-owned oil company, where he had worked for many years.
This business relationship between Pemex and a company owned by Raúl Rocha fueled accusations of a conflict of interest after Fátima Bosch's crowning. These suspicions were reinforced by accusations concerning the very legitimacy of her title. Omar Harfouch , who had left the judging panel before the final, claimed that Raúl Rocha and his son had tried to influence him to vote for Fátima Bosch by invoking "business interests." He had also stated before the final that the Mexican candidate would be crowned. Subsequently, Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe 2005 and a member of the judging panel, stated that six of the eight judges she had spoken with had not voted for Fátima Bosch.
These elements fueled accusations of fraud surrounding his coronation and suspicions of conflict of interest between Raúl Rocha's business interests, his relationship with Pemex, and the position held by Bernardo Bosch.
A seizure could disrupt the governance of the competition
The participants also discussed the consequences of seizing the shares held by Rocha. Her 50% stake carries economic and voting rights. Confiscation could therefore profoundly alter the shareholding and governance of Miss Universe. The situation would be further complicated by the fact that Rocha's stake is held through Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., an American company. Any legal action targeting these shares would thus have to take into account the jurisdiction in which they are held and could require international cooperation.
Arms and hydrocarbon trafficking from Guatemala
The program also revisited the first part of the case. Mexican authorities are investigating an organization suspected of involvement in arms trafficking and hydrocarbon smuggling, particularly from Guatemala. Raúl Rocha Cantú served as Guatemala's honorary consul in Mexico, a fact mentioned during the program to place his activities and networks within their international context. The investigations aim to determine individual responsibilities and any potential links between the targeted individuals' business activities and the operations being pursued.
FinCEN and the American track
The August 4th broadcast also referenced FinCEN, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, an agency within the U.S. Treasury Department tasked with detecting financial flows linked to money laundering. Víctor Hernández mentioned information indicating that Raúl Rocha Cantú might be on the radar or in the intelligence being used by this agency. This American connection is particularly significant since several of the businessman's assets have an international structure and his stake in Miss Universe is held through an American company.
Why no Interpol Red Notice?
Lucero Álvarez and Max Espejel also questioned Víctor Hernández about the absence of a publicly known Interpol Red Notice. The expert explained that a national arrest warrant and a Red Notice are two distinct mechanisms. A Red Notice involves a specific international procedure designed to locate a person and, depending on national laws, to allow for their provisional arrest. The question posed during the program therefore primarily concerned the methods used to locate Rocha Cantú if he is outside of Mexico.
The past of Casino Royale recalled
The speakers also discussed the Casino Royale in Monterrey. On August 25, 2011, the establishment was attacked and set on fire by a criminal group, resulting in 52 deaths. Raúl Rocha Cantú was among the businessmen connected to the casino. He was not found criminally responsible for the attack, but his name had already received widespread media attention at the time. Víctor Hernández noted that Rocha was known to Mexican authorities and the media long before his participation in Miss Universe.
Trump, Hegseth, and American pressure
In the final part of his speech, Víctor Hernández broadened the discussion to include relations between Mexico and the United States. He argued that cases involving Mexican business figures could fuel the American narrative about the influence of cartels and their penetration into certain sectors of the economy. He cited Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth, who have adopted a particularly hard line against Mexican cartels. Hernández suggested that this perception could ultimately affect Mexico's international image far beyond security issues, even impacting areas such as FIFA and Miss Universe.
Rocha's 50% stake could become a seizable asset
At the end of the broadcast, the most sensitive point became clear: a money laundering investigation can lead authorities to trace financial flows back to the assets in which the money was invested. Raúl Rocha Cantú acquired 50% of Miss Universe for $16 million. If investigators were able to establish that this stake, its financing, or the company holding it is linked to the funds under investigation, his shares could be seized or confiscated. Miss Universe could then find itself directly implicated in the asset proceedings against one of its co-owners.
