Former president Enrique Peña Nieto was advised about the so-called “Master Fraud” embezzlement scheme in which government departments allegedly misappropriated billions of pesos but did nothing, according to the former chief auditor.
In an interview with the newspaper El Universal, Juan Manuel Portal said that he spoke to Peña Nieto at a 2017 meeting about the involvement of the secretariats of Social Development (Sedesol) and Agrarian Development and Urban Planning (Sedatu) in the scheme.
The former head of the Federal Auditor’s Office (ASF) said he told the ex-president that the matter was “extremely serious” and needed to be cleaned up.
Portal also said he told Peña Nieto that ASF reports about the embezzlement scheme had been sent to the president’s office.
“Analyze them . . . Look at them with the Secretariat of Public Administration . . .” he recalled telling the president.
Asked whether Peña Nieto took any action, Portal responded: “No, there was the intention, but he didn’t do anything.”
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