Cancun, Quintana Roo — Police arrested César Rodrigo Bouzas Gutiérrez, the legal representative of real estate firm Master Broker, on Monday on an arrest warrant for fraud, marking the first major breakthrough in a case involving more than 50 alleged victims in Quintana Roo.
According to victims, Master Broker advertised bank-repossessed homes at attractive prices on social media. When potential buyers showed interest, a woman identified as Georgina “N” would contact them and convince them to proceed, often without showing the property in person.
After victims agreed, Bouzas Gutiérrez would step in as the company’s legal representative, formalizing the transactions with notarized contracts at various notary offices in Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen. Victims paid up to 50% of the property’s supposed value as a down payment, trusting the notarized documents. However, they never received the homes.
Victims have identified brothers Rafael and Ernesto Reyes Hernández as the main operators or beneficiaries of the scheme, accusing them of using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle including yachts and high-end apartments.
The case highlights an aggressive form of real estate fraud in tourist destinations, where companies use contracts, notaries, and technical language to appear legitimate. Authorities are expected to scrutinize the role of notary offices in Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, which victims say lent credibility to the fraudulent transactions.
Bouzas Gutiérrez has been transferred to prison pending further investigation. Prosecutors will determine his criminal responsibility and pursue other possible suspects involved in Master Broker’s commercial, legal, and operational structure.
Victims are demanding a thorough investigation into the flow of money, the involvement of intermediaries, and the actions of notaries and those who allegedly led the fraud ring. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
