puerto vallarta

Infamous people who have called Puerto Vallarta home

In addition to the arrest of former Vera Cruz deputy Xochitl Tress in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, July 31, other “celebrities” of entertainment, business, terrorism and drug trafficking have been captured in this tourist destination.

In June of 2003 the American bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman traveled to Mexico to catch Andrew Luster, heir to the cosmetics brand Max Factor, who had been convicted of rape in a California court. The millionaire, who had faced the trial in the United States, received a sentence of 124 years in prison.

The bounty hunter was accompanied by a brother, his son, a collaborator and cameraman, who would record the moment of arrest and then sell the material to a television station.

Duane Chapman spotted the millionaire in a taco stand and after talking to him he sprayed pepper spray to subdue him, put him in a van and took him to the airport, where they would take a flight to the United States.

However, the bounty hunter did not expect that diners at the taco stand would alert police about the attempted abduction, so Duane Chapman was arrested when he arrived at the airport. Mexican law prohibits the activities of bounty hunters.

Andrew Luster was placed under the protection of the Mexican authorities who handed him over to FBI agents, who brought him to the US justice; while Duan Chapman was detained in Mexico and after posted bail fled to the United States. Three years later, he was arrested at his Hawaii residence, but a US judge denied his extradition to Mexico.

Another famous arrest in Vallarta was of two members of the Basque terrorist organization ETA, who had escaped from Spain in 1992 and settled in Puerto Vallarta.

The terrorists Juan Jesús Narváez Goñi and Itzia Alberdi Uranga married in Mexico and formed a family from which two children were born, who did not know the bloody past of their parents.

Intelligence work by the Mexican and Spanish authorities found the whereabouts of terrorists accused of committing more than 16 crimes and belonging to one of the bloodiest cells in ETA.

The couple was arrested in January 2014 in the colony La Moderna of Puerto Vallarta and after confirming their true identities were taken to Spain where they received between them a sentence of 294 years in prison.

On February 28, 2015, the Federal Police and the Mexican Army arrested Abigail González Valencia, from the “Los Cuinis” group, who are the financial operators of the Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Cartel.

After his arrest the prisoner offered the agents 50 million pesos so that they did not show their photograph in the media and thus remain anonymous.

Abigail is the brother-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes alias “El Mencho”, leader of the CJNG, the fastest growing criminal organization in the last seven years.

The CJNG distributes synthetic drugs to Japan, China, Australia, Russia and Eastern European countries, making it the most economically powerful cartel in the world, thanks to the money laundering work of Abigail.

The 200 million dollars spent on Zhenli Ye Gon’s home was financed by CJNG, an organization that had hired the Chinese employee for the purchase of chemical precursors used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs.

The last arrest of relevance was the one of Xóchitl Tress, lover of the ex-Governor of Veracruz Javier Duarte, who is accused of deviation of public resources, since she was an official in the Duarte administration and received gifts and homes paid for by taxpayer money.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXTVZzZBYyr/?tagged=puertovallarta

In addition to the arrest of former Vera Cruz deputy Xochitl Tress in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, July 31, other "celebrities" of entertainment, business, terrorism . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • protests3Mexico City Protests: There is a fine line between anti-gentrification and xenophobia The line between anti-gentrification and racism is clear if you choose to see it: genuine activism targets policy and practice, not nationality or ethnicity. I have lived in Mexico for two decades, and I have never witnessed the level of anti-American sentiment that exists today. All of it is tied to the buzzword "gentrification," a…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • puerto-vallarta-police-chase-bahia-de-banderasPuerto Vallarta police chase ends in deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas A Puerto Vallarta police chase along Highway 200 ended in a deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas, leaving two people dead. A high-speed chase that began in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and ended in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, left at least two people dead and raised new questions about police engagement and road safety in the…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • Body with signs of crocodile attack found in Ameca River, a leg was found last monthPurple Flag Warns Beachgoers after Crocodile at Los Muertos Beach Authorities raised a purple flag after a crocodile at Los Muertos Beach was spotted swimming near shore, advising visitors to avoid entering the water until safety checks ended. Local authorities recorded a crocodile swimming in the vicinity of Los Muertos Beach, one of Puerto Vallarta’s busiest tourist spots. Lifeguards spotted the reptile in shallow water…
  • José Luis Velázquez RodríguezSEAPAL Official Reported Missing in Puerto Vallarta Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have launched a search for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, SEAPAL's head of transparency, who has been missing since June 30. Family and officials are urging the public to report any information. Local authorities and civil protection units have launched a search operation for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, head of the Transparency…
  • puerto vallarta loses three blue flag beachesPuerto Vallarta retains four Blue Flag Beaches, down from eight Puerto Vallarta will enter the 2025–2026 season with four international Blue Flag distinctions in Puerto Vallarta, even after tourism-driven environmental damage cost it half of its previous honors. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in Mexico confirmed that three resort flags will be revalidated at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, The Westin Resort &…
Scroll to Top