Introduction
The United States Department of the Treasury, through its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), has recently identified three Mexican financial institutions as primary concerns in money laundering activities.
The Identified Mexican Banks
Among the Mexican institutions flagged by the US government are CIBanco and Intercam Banco, two private capital banks with significant presence in Mexico’s financial system.
CIBanco
CIBanco is a Mexican multiple-banking institution that began operations in 1983 under the name “Consultoría Internacional” as a corporate exchange house. It received official authorization to operate as a bank in April 2008.
According to institutional information, CIBanco currently ranks among the top ten banks in the country for trust services and automotive financing. By the end of 2024, it had over 170 branches nationwide, with operational presence in all 32 federal entities, eight state offices, and ten regional centers.
In 2014, the holding company Tenedora CI acquired 99.99% of The Bank of New York Mellon México’s capital stock. As part of this operation, conducted in an Extraordinary General Assembly, a merger was carried out between the two entities, resulting in CIBanco’s formal adoption of its current name.
As a multiple-banking institution, CIBanco is authorized to capture deposits, grant loans, operate with securities, currencies, and derivatives, as well as enter into trust contracts. Its product offerings range from traditional services to specialized solutions for individuals and businesses.
The general management is led by Mario Alberto Maciel Castro. According to documentation submitted to the Mexican Stock Exchange for the period January–December 2025, the board of directors is presided by Jorge Rodrigo Rangel de Alba Brunel. Roberto Pérez Estrada serves as the proprietary secretary of the board of directors.
Intercam Banco
Intercam Banco was founded in 1996 as the evolution of Intercam Casa de Cambio, established a year earlier. Since its inception, it has specialized in services related to currency operations, international payments, trade financing, and wealth management.
According to its own information, Intercam currently operates over 60 branches in the country and serves more than 100,000 clients, both individual and corporate. Its focus has been on meeting the financial needs of import and export companies, business-active individuals, investors, and foreign residents in Mexico.
Moreover, it is part of Intercam Grupo Financiero, a group of private financial sector companies that include a stock exchange, investment funds, and derivatives. Eduardo García Lecuona leads the bank’s general management and also serves as its CEO.
Institutional information indicates that in 2013, Intercam reorganized its operations into two structures: Intercam Grupo Financiero and Grupo Intercam, both fully composed of Mexican private capital. This restructuring allowed the consolidation of its various business lines under two holding entities with distinct strategic focuses.
Intercam’s international vision led it to establish a banking institution in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which has an operating account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. This connection grants it direct access to the US payment system.
Intercam’s leadership structure comprises entrepreneurs and executives with a background in the Mexican financial sector. The board of directors includes Eduardo García Lecuona, Intercam’s current general manager, as well as Luis Esteve de Murga, Gabriel Golzarri Fragoso, Rubén de la Mora Berenguer, Ana de Murga Zunzunegui, Alberto Saba Ades, Manuel Saba Ades, Mario Espinosa Casarín, Carlos Valenzuela Dosal, Ricardo Acosta Carrete, and José Luis Michel Nava.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: Who are CIBanco and Intercam Banco? A: CIBanco is a Mexican multiple-banking institution offering various financial services, while Intercam Banco specializes in currency operations, international payments, trade financing, and wealth management.
- Q: What services does CIBanco provide? A: CIBanco offers traditional banking services, such as deposit capture and loan granting, along with specialized solutions for individuals and businesses.
- Q: How is Intercam Banco structured? A: Intercam Banco is part of Intercam Grupo Financiero, a group of private financial sector companies that include a stock exchange, investment funds, and derivatives.
- Q: What is the significance of Intercam’s presence in Puerto Rico? A: Intercam’s bank in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has an operating account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, granting it direct access to the US payment system.
