Rovirosa Files Motion For Judgement Of Aquittal
Earlier this month Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez was found guilty after a bizarre trial of various charges in connection with an alleged Mexican bribery scheme.
As reported here: “the US corruption trial of Mexican businessman Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez featured no fact witnesses, which led the judge to block the government from introducing most of its evidence until their closing argument.”
Last week, Rovirosa filed a motion for a judgement of acquittal.
Rovirosa Found Guilty Of Various Counts At Bizarre Trial
In August 2025, the DOJ announced a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action concerning an alleged bribery scheme in Mexico. (See here for the prior post).
The indictment charged Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez (a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of Texas) and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga (a citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of Texas) for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
Rovirosa Trial Begins
In August 2025, the DOJ announced a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action concerning an alleged bribery scheme in Mexico. (See here for the prior post).
The indictment charged Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez (a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of Texas) and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga (a citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of Texas) for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
Checking In On The Rovirosa Case
Trial was supposed to begin today in U.S. v. Rovirosa (see prior posts here, here, here, here and here).
Instead, last week Judge Kenneth Hoyt (S.D. Tex) set a status conference for today.
Earlier today, Roviorsa filed another motion to dismiss.
The motion begins with this “Question Presented.”
“In United States v. Panci, 256 F.2d 308, 310 (5th Cir. 1958), Circuit Judge Joseph C. Hutcheson (former U.S. district judge and Houston mayor), asked whether “[i]t is conceivable that a conviction could be or rather should be had in a case such as this where not one witness could be cross-examined as to the statements testified to, as involving the defendant, for each and every one of those statements were hearsay?” He ruled no.”
DOJ Responds To Statute Of Limitations Issue In Rovirosa Matter
This prior post highlighted an August DOJ FCPA enforcement action concerning an alleged bribery scheme in Mexico.
The indictment charges Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez (a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of Texas) and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga (a citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of Texas) for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.