A federal judge has ordered the seizure of a luxury condominium allegedly belonging to a former Tamaulipas governor.
The condo at the Bridgepoint Condominiums on South Padre Island has been tied up in federal court since February.
Federal prosecutors alleged that former Tamaulipas Gov. Tomas Yarrington gave drug money to another man to buy the $450,000 dollar condo.
Authorities alleged that Yarrington gave the drug cartel bribe money to Matamoros businessman Napoleon Rodriguez.
According to a civil forfeiture lawsuit, Rodriguez bought the condo and put it in his name but Yarrington remained the de facto owner.
U.S. District Judge Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi ruled on Monday granting the final forfeiture of the condo.
The federal government will take full possession of the condominium, sell it and then pay off any taxes and homeowner’s association fees owed.
The property to be sold at public auction in the near future but a date was not immediately available.
Neither Yarrington nor Rodriguez face criminal charges at this time.
Attorneys for Yarrington said in previous statements that the former governor maintains his innocence.
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