Venezuelan influencer detained in Mexico City with large cash sum

María Fernanda Patti Márquez, a 32-year-old Venezuelan influencer and entrepreneur, was detained in the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City after failing to prove the legal origin of a large amount of cash.

Authorities from the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) intercepted her while she was driving a Mercedes-Benz with tinted windows and no license plates. Following a brief pursuit, officers seized 1,154,600 Mexican pesos and 8,700 US dollars. During the encounter, Patti Márquez reportedly attempted to justify the funds by showing her Instagram profile to officers, but she could not provide official tax documentation or proof of income to support her claims of being a business owner in Huixquilucan, State of Mexico.

While transporting large sums of cash is not a crime in itself, the individual and the money have been placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry to determine if the resources have a lawful origin or if criminal proceedings are warranted.