Rubén Rocha Moya

Rubén Rocha Moya is a Mexican academic and politician who served as Governor of Sinaloa from 2021 until taking a leave of absence on May 2, 2026. In April 2026, a U.S. federal indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York charged Rocha Moya with conspiracy to import narcotics and weapons-related offenses, alleging he accepted bribes and provided political protection to the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. He denies these allegations, labeling them politically motivated. Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) initially rejected U.S. extradition requests citing insufficient evidence, though it opened a domestic investigation. In May 2026, Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit froze bank accounts linked to him. Throughout his career, Rocha Moya has faced various controversies: * Allegations of organized crime ties and illicit financing during his 2021 gubernatorial campaign. * Investigations into a network of companies linked to his children and officials, involving public contract irregularities and potential nepotism. * Political scrutiny surrounding the July 2024 capture of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and the murder of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, following allegations in a letter by Zambada that he was en route to a meeting with Rocha Moya when intercepted. * A 2020 criminal complaint regarding alleged influence peddling for construction contracts. Rocha Moya maintains his innocence and has complied with a summons to testify before the FGR in Culiacán.