Arrest warrants issued in Mexico for duo accused in alleged condo scam

Arrest warrants issued in Mexico for duo accused in alleged condo scam

Ontario couple put $280K into plan to flip condos in Playa del Carmen

A Mexican court has issued arrest warrants against the man and woman accused of defrauding a Canadian couple of their retirement savings through an alleged condo-flip scheme, CBC News has learned.

The warrants for Harry Robinson, a British national, and Jacqueline Herrera Herrera, a Mexican national, were issued in late July by a Quintana Roo state court judge.

Both are now before a Mexican federal court seeking to toss those warrants, according to copies of court records.

The criminal case against them, which is being heard at the state level, won’t be impacted by the federal court process around the arrest warrants, however.

Robinson and Herrera are accused by the state prosecutor's office of committing fraud through deception.

The Canadian couple — Cindy Thompson and Glenn Brown, of Curve Lake, Ont. — sent $280,000 to a company co-owned by a Robinson and Herrera who promised big returns on a condo flip in Playa del Carmen that never materialized.

"It is not something that leaves your mind because you’re always worried about what’s going to happen, what’s next," said Thompson this week.

Quintana Roo is a popular vacation and investment destination for Canadians, and also home to Cancun and Tulum.

Thompson and Brown filed a criminal complaint against Robinson and Herrera earlier this year.

The case stems from late 2024 when Thompson, searching for possible real estate investments in Mexico, came across the web page for XMEX Investments which was run by Robinson.

She eventually met Robinson and Herrera in Playa del Carmen. Herrera pitched her on buying a one-bedroom condo and Thompson sent $170,000 in two installments, but never received the keys.

Robinson then convinced Thompson to move her money, with an additional $110,000 from Brown, into a deal to flip seven condos, saying via WhatApp it was looking "to be 100 per cent profit."

Thompson and Brown’s money then vanished.

A federal court judge granted a stay on Aug. 27 against the warrant seeking Herrera’s arrest, but the process to have it tossed continues, according to court records.

A hearing on Robinson’s application is scheduled for Sept. 8 in Cancun, according to court records.

Herrera has claimed in WhatsApp messages that Robinson took some of the money. Robinson filed a criminal complaint against Herrera in late 2025 alleging she stole all the money.

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Neither Robinson, Herrera’s lawyer in Cancun nor the state deputy-prosecutor who is leading the case responded to a request for comment.

Herrera, through another lawyer, offered a cash settlement in early August to Thompson for about $2.3 million pesos, roughly $188,000, according to WhatsApp text and voice messages obtained by CBC News.

She then offered Thompson a commercial property in Cancun which she claimed was worth about $4 million pesos, or roughly $328,000.

"We're not going to get into any deals like that with her, ever again," said Thompson.

She says it’s been frustrating trying to understand the complex workings of the Mexican judicial system and the various moving parts associated with the case.

"I'm a little more hopeful, although today, my anxiety's through the roof," said Thompson. "It's hard not being there and not really knowing firsthand what’s going on."

Jorge Barrera is a Caracas-born journalist currently based in Mexico City for CBC News. He previously worked with CBC's Investigative Unit and CBC's Indigenous Unit. Follow him on X @JorgeBarrera or email him jorge.barrera@cbc.ca.