Federal authorities have apprehended Rigoberto Brown, a fugitive accused of participating in a scheme to monopolize the transmigrante car trade along the Texas-Mexico border. Known as «the Pool,» this operation allegedly involved a network of South Texas businessmen who fixed prices and coerced compliance from competing businesses.
The Allegations Against Brown
Brown, a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, was charged in November 2022 with conspiring to fix prices and monopolize the transmigrante forwarding business. He reportedly worked under Carlos Martinez, a businessman from Mission, Texas, who has already pleaded guilty to similar charges and received an 11-year prison sentence.
According to federal prosecutors, Brown lived as a fugitive in Mexico for nearly four years before his arrest near McAllen, Texas, this week. He is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Houston.
The Structure of the Scheme
The transmigrante trade involves transporting used cars from the U.S. through Mexico to Central America. Prosecutors allege that since at least 2011, a group of forwarding agencies colluded to inflate prices and divide the market among themselves, undermining competition.
These agencies allegedly pooled their revenues and enforced compliance through intimidation and threats. The indictment describes a well-organized operation where participants used charts and spreadsheets to track their arrangements and communicated through various channels.
Coercive Tactics and Extortion
Prosecutors have detailed how the conspirators controlled relationships with licensed Mexican customs brokers, which were essential for processing transmigrante paperwork. This control allegedly allowed them to coerce businesses outside the group into compliance.
The term «piso,» meaning «floor» in Spanish, was used to describe an extortion payment imposed on vehicles crossing the Los Indios bridge. One agency owner reportedly faced over $80,000 in payments after refusing to comply with the group’s demands.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Investigations
Brown’s charges fall under the Sherman Antitrust Act, which aims to prevent monopolistic practices. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each charge. His arrest comes amid ongoing investigations, with several co-defendants already sentenced and two remaining fugitives.
The case has been prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, with investigations led by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
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