A federal jury in Houston convicted an energy executive Friday for his role in bribing officials at PEMEX, the Mexican state-owned oil company, and its wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at his trial, Alexandro Rovirosa, a Mexican citizen and lawful U.S. permanent resident, paid more than $150,000 in bribes to obtain contracts worth at least $2.5 million from the PEMEX entities.
Jurors in the court of U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt found Rovirosa guilty of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and two counts of violating the act.
Rovirosa, who lives in The Woodlands, is scheduled for sentencing March 23. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
A codefendant, Mario Avila of Spring, also a Mexican citizen and lawful U.S. permanent resident, is a fugitive, federal authorities said.
The two men were charged in an indictment unsealed in Houston in August. It said Rovirosa owned, controlled or was otherwise associated with six oil and gas concerns identified in the indictment only as “the Mexico Energy Companies.” Avila worked for Rovirosa and the companies, the indictment said.
According to evidence presented at Rovirosa’s trial, he, Avila and others bribed at least three Mexican officials with PEMEX and its subsidiary with cash, luxury items and other valuable goods. In exchange, those officials helped the Rovirosa companies obtain and retain business with the Mexican oil giant.
“Bribery of government officials to win business undermines fair competition and unjustly enriches bad actors,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said in a statement issued by the Justice Department. He added, “We will not tolerate bribery and corruption schemes run out of the United States, whether the bribes are paid here or abroad.”
Douglas Williams, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston office, said in the same statement, “Most individuals applying for American citizenship treat our laws and customs with respect. Alexandro Rovirosa instead violated U.S. laws through a network of corruption and deceit. Rovirosa believed his residence in Houston protected him from the consequences of bribing foreign officials. However … his scheme not only cost him a luxurious Texas lifestyle, but also his freedom.”
The case is being prosecuted by Lindsey Carson, Samad Pardesi and Paul Ream of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray in the Southern District of Texas.
Court records list Rovirosa’s defense attorneys as Ryan McConnell, Matthew Boyden and Lawrence Finder of the R. McConnell Group in Houston.
The case is 4:25-cr-00415.