A court in Mexico has issued arrest warrants for a British man and a Mexican woman accused of defrauding a Canadian couple of their retirement savings in an alleged condo-flip scheme, as per CBC News sources. The warrants for Harry Robinson and Jacqueline Herrera Herrera were issued by a Quintana Roo state court judge in late July. Robinson and Herrera are currently challenging these warrants in a Mexican federal court, according to court documents.
The criminal case against them at the state level will proceed independently of the federal court process concerning the arrest warrants. The state prosecutor’s office has charged Robinson and Herrera with committing fraud through deception. The victims, Cindy Thompson and Glenn Brown from Curve Lake, Ontario, sent $280,000 to a company co-owned by Robinson and Herrera, who promised significant returns on a condo investment in Playa del Carmen that never materialized.
Thompson and Brown reported the incident to the authorities earlier this year. The situation dates back to late 2024 when Thompson discovered XMEX Investments, operated by Robinson, while exploring real estate opportunities in Mexico. After meeting Robinson and Herrera in Playa del Carmen, Herrera persuaded Thompson to invest $170,000 in a one-bedroom condo, which never materialized. Subsequently, Robinson convinced Thompson and Brown to invest an additional $110,000 in a condo-flipping venture promising substantial profits.
Despite legal actions, the money invested by Thompson and Brown disappeared. A federal court judge recently halted the warrant for Herrera’s arrest, with further proceedings underway. Robinson’s application hearing is scheduled for September 8 in Cancun. Allegations have emerged that Robinson misappropriated some of the funds, while Herrera has accused Robinson of taking all the money in WhatsApp messages.
Herrera, through her legal representation, proposed a cash settlement of approximately $188,000 to Thompson in early August. Additionally, she offered Thompson a commercial property in Cancun valued at around $328,000, which Thompson declined. Thompson expressed frustration with navigating the complexities of the Mexican legal system and the various aspects of the case, stating a lack of direct involvement heightens her anxiety.
Neither Robinson nor Herrera’s legal representatives in Cancun, nor the state deputy-prosecutor overseeing the case, responded to requests for comments on the matter. Thompson reiterated her reluctance to engage in any further dealings with Herrera. She remains cautiously optimistic about the case’s progression but finds the distance and lack of firsthand information unsettling.