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Authorities Arrest Alleged Sextortionist Known as ‘El Argentino’ in Mérida After Dating-App Sting

Investigators say phone and account tracing from a May complaint led to a Nov. 28 arrest in Mérida, followed by transfer to a specialized agency in Cancún.

Overview

  • Prosecutors allege the 43-year-old posed as a woman on dating apps to obtain intimate images, then threatened to publish them unless victims paid.
  • Demands reportedly started at 2,000–3,000 pesos and rose to as much as 12,000, with case files noting one victim transferred about 4,500 pesos.
  • The investigation began after a man identified as Marco Antonio N. reported being extorted between May 14 and 20 while using dating apps.
  • Authorities tracked phone numbers and financial accounts to a residence in Colonia Juan Pablo II in Mérida, where state police made the Nov. 28 arrest.
  • Officials released video of the apprehension this week, and the suspect has been moved to the specialized extortion and kidnapping unit in Cancún at a judge’s disposal.