TOLUCA, Mexico — Prosecutors in Mexico’s State of Mexico have accused the mayor of Tenancingo of staging her own kidnapping as part of an alleged scheme to justify the diversion of public funds disguised as a ransom payment, authorities said on Friday.
State prosecutors said Mayor Nancy Napoles is under investigation for the alleged “simulation of a kidnapping” that took place on May 31. According to prosecutors, the purported abduction was orchestrated with the involvement of several individuals, including members of her family, and was intended to facilitate the movement of approximately 40 million pesos, or about $2.3 million, under the guise of a ransom payment.
The mayor was reported missing after armed individuals allegedly forced her from a vehicle. Authorities initially treated the incident as a kidnapping and launched an investigation. However, prosecutors said a witness raised concerns about inconsistencies in the account, prompting investigators to reexamine the circumstances surrounding the case.
Following the investigation, prosecutors said they concluded that the kidnapping had been staged. Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, while authorities are seeking two additional individuals, identified by prosecutors as the mayor’s husband and brother-in-law. Prosecutors said warrants remain in effect for the two men.
In a statement, the State of Mexico Attorney General’s Office said the suspects “would have simulated the kidnapping” of the mayor to obtain a large payment in exchange for her release. Authorities said the funds involved were allegedly linked to public resources that had already been improperly diverted. Details regarding the alleged embezzlement remain under investigation.
Napoles, a member of the ruling Morena party, has denied the allegations. In a video posted on social media, she described the accusations as politically motivated and said she would cooperate fully with investigators. “I will collaborate so that the guilty actors are punished,” she said, according to local media reports.
The case has drawn national attention because of the seriousness of the allegations and the government’s stated anti-corruption agenda. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly pledged to combat corruption at all levels of government, although federal authorities have not publicly commented on the specifics of the Tenancingo investigation.
Prosecutors said Napoles has been summoned to appear before investigators on July 9. As of Friday, no arrest warrant had been announced against the mayor, and authorities said the investigation remained ongoing. Prosecutors added that additional charges could be considered depending on the outcome of the inquiry and the evidence collected in the coming weeks.
