Argentine Fraud Ring Thrives in Cancún

Cancún, Quintana Roo — A criminal ring of forgers and fraudsters composed of Argentine citizens and led by Juan Ignacio Ameigeiras and Patricio Benjamín Rocha is operating with impunity in Cancún. The group is allegedly using falsified documentation purportedly issued by the Secretary of Finance and Planning (SEFIPLAN), despite multiple complaints having been filed with the State Attorney General's Office (FGE).

Business owners are reporting fraud involving rented vehicles and false documentation and are calling on the Attorney General's Office to act in response to new complaints.

Fraud with Rented Cars and False Documents

The first documented case dates back to July of this year, when a victim reported being deceived by the implicated individuals under the pretext of a loan guaranteed with vehicles.

The victim reported meeting Patricio Rocha at a Cancún gym, where Rocha offered him a loan on behalf of his partner, Juan Ignacio Ameigeiras, who was presented as the owner of the businesses Oveja Negra Bistró Bar and the Vika bakeries in Playa del Carmen. As collateral, they delivered a Jeep Renegade with apparently legal documentation and registration cards.

"I handed over 130,000 pesos and they had the vehicle delivered to me through a third party, Damián Agustín Centurión. Later, they swapped the vehicles for a Volkswagen Taos, a Jeep Renegade, and a Mitsubishi Montero. In total, I gave them almost one million pesos," declared the victim.

On July 24, while driving the Volkswagen Taos on La Luna Avenue, the victim was intercepted by employees of the company Álamo Rent a Car, who stated that the vehicle was the property of the rental company and had been reported as stolen. Personnel from the State Attorney General's Office arrived at the scene, to whom the affected individual surrendered the vehicles and filed a formal complaint for fraud. The complaint was registered under case file FGE/QROO/BJ/07/15161/2021 at the Patrimonial Crimes Agency on Huayacán Avenue.

Detainees Released Despite Evidence

On that occasion, Juan Ignacio Ameigeiras and Damián Agustín Centurión were detained for vehicle theft, a fact that was even confirmed in official statement 254/2025 from the FGE. However, both regained their freedom shortly afterward, despite the investigation having proven that they used false documents to obtain money and pawn vehicles.

The same fraud scheme was allegedly subsequently used against other Cancún business owners, who reported receiving automobiles with falsified invoices and registration documents, some of which also had theft reports.

Suspicions of Complicity and Omission

According to the victims, the documentation presented by the ring had stamps and security measures identical to the official ones from SEFIPLAN, raising suspicions of the possible complicity of personnel within the state agency.

The method of selling and pawning rented vehicles is not new in Cancún, but this organization is alleged to have perfected its operation by posing as high-net-worth businesspeople, gaining the trust of their victims before defrauding them.

Despite the complaints filed, the affected parties assert that the authorities have acted slowly. Consequently, they have issued a call to the business sector and the general public to report any attempted fraud related to these individuals to the Attorney General's Office, in order to stop their operation and prevent more victims.