A Mexican accused of orchestrating a massive financial scam that defrauded more than 10,000 investors has been arrested by Italian authorities after disembarking from a cruise ship in Palermo.
Perez Zamorano, dubbed Mexico’s "financial guru," and founder of Inverforx, was apprehended aboard the MSC Seaside as it docked at the Sicilian capital’s port. The arrest followed an international warrant issued by Mexican authorities, who have accused him of running a fraudulent investment scheme that left a financial trail of devastation estimated at over €600 million, ($650 million). Perez Zamorano, who had been on the run for over a year, was reportedly traveling under a false identity.
Authorities say the 9-year prison sentence sought by Mexican prosecutors is linked to Zamorano’s role in Grupo Inverforx, a now-defunct investment firm at the center of what has been described as "the scam of the century" in Mexico.
Founded in 2019 through a shell company known as Strategic Capital Agency SAPI de CV, Inverforx lured investors with promises of massive returns — up to 81% in just nine months — on commodities such as lithium, oil, gold, and cotton. By comparison, Mexico’s traditional banks offered average annual interest rates of just 10.5%.
The scheme initially gained investor trust by delivering modest returns. But once individuals began investing larger sums — often their life savings — communications reportedly stopped. Victims say they were left with nothing.
Investments ranged from $1000 to $4 million, according to Mexican digital magazine Milenio, which first exposed the scheme. Many victims were teachers and middle-class workers enticed by seemingly knowledgeable consultants.
Legal complaints began piling up in 2023 after a whistleblower from Mexico’s national teachers' union publicly accused Inverforx of fraud. Allegations also surfaced suggesting potential ties between the company and former state officials from Michoacán — though those claims remain unproven, and some implicated individuals have vanished from the public eye.
Attorney Fernando Lozada, who represents around 100 victims, said the operation followed a typical pyramid scheme model: "They gave small profits back at first to gain their trust. Once clients invested everything — they vanished."
Following his arrest, Perez Zamorano requested legal counsel and declined to speak with investigators. He is now facing a hearing before Italy’s Court of Appeal in Palermo, which will determine whether he will be extradited to Mexico — a decision seen as crucial for thousands of victims still seeking justice.
