Mexico Tycoon Cleared in Tax Case; Ruling Protested

A federal court on Monday acquitted Carlos Peralta, a powerful Mexican tycoon who was among the most prominent targets in a yearlong crackdown on alleged tax evaders.

The government, however, protested the ruling, charging “procedural irregularities.” Promising an appeal, it said it appeared the judge acquitted Peralta without reviewing evidence from prosecutors.

Peralta, reportedly one of Mexico’s wealthiest men, was accused of underreporting his income from 1992 to 1995. He paid about $6 million in back taxes and penalties earlier this year after an audit. Nonetheless, the government pursued criminal charges of tax fraud.

Peralta was one of the best-known Mexicans caught up in a government crackdown on alleged tax cheats. In highly publicized cases, authorities have accused sports stars, businessmen, a newspaper editor and others of dodging their taxes.

A spokeswoman for Peralta’s cellular-phone company, Iusacell, declined comment except to confirm the acquittal.

Mexican authorities, however, blasted the ruling. In a joint communique, the Justice and Treasury ministries said that Monday was the deadline for the prosecutor to present evidence. But shortly after he turned over a 34-page legal argument, the prosecutor learned the judge had already acquitted Peralta, the communique said.

“It’s impossible that the judge even read [the documents] in their totality, much less studied them,” said the communique.

An assistant to Judge Vicente Peredo Garcia Villalobos said he was unavailable for comment.

Peralta is also among a small group of moguls who have been caught up in a multimillion-dollar corruption scandal surrounding Raul Salinas, the brother of Mexico’s former president.

Peralta acknowledged last year that he had given Salinas $50 million for an “investment fund”--without even asking for a receipt. He denied the money was in exchange for favors, and he has not been charged with wrongdoing.

But the scandal was enough to prompt his company to remove Peralta from day-to-day operations at Grupo Iusacell, a joint venture with Bell Atlantic Corp.