A couple from Michigan has been released from a Mexican prison after spending almost a month on the grilles for a payment dispute with a buzzer Business.
Paul, 58, and Christy Akeo, 60, have been released in custody and returned to Lansing, Michigan, « according to a statement by their lawyers on April 3.
The Mexican state prosecutors of Quintana Roo accused the partner of canceling 13 credit card payments to a hotel chain worth about $ 116,500 by 2022, which they said Constituted fraudReported CNN.
The couple denounced the complaints, saying that their credit card company had reimbursed the amount when the Complex signature, the Palau company, did not provide promised services. A judge dismissed the criminal case and ordered the couple’s release after Quintana Roo’s state lawyer reached an agreement with Akeos and Timeshare.
According to the terms of the agreement, $ 116,587.84 will be given a non -profit organization in Mexico who benefits orphans.
« Each part laments that this incident took place, » said a joint statement of the Akeos and the palace company.
The couple was taken in custody shortly after their plane landed in Cancun on March 4 for supposed to defraud the hospitality company, Palace Elite Resorts. The company had previously stated that the couple had defrauded it through $ 117,000 collection from their American Express card after they bought a membership in the shared time with them several years earlier.
Palace Elite Resorts filed a complaint to the Mexican public prosecutor, which caused the arrests of the Akeos.
The couple denied the company’s complaints and their law firm said they were « retained in captivity for 32 days in the Cereso Cancun prison. »
« Don’t be mistaken, what they are doing is that they keep the two north -Americans because they want them to pay them money, » Couple’s lawyer John Manly told CBS.
Michigan’s Republican Representative, Tom Barrett, traveled to Mexico to visit the couple and return home.
Hat Posted in X on April 2demanding « his launch after yesterday learned from his deterioration of his fitness ».
« It is enough, after spending almost a month in a Mexican prison of maximum security on what is a contractual dispute in a time quota, the Mexican authorities have been releasing Paul and Christy for some time, » Barrett wrote.
In Another placeBarrett said he traveled directly to the jail where the Akeos was landing in Mexico.
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« I gathered personally for an hour and learned of the horrible conditions in front of: rubbing walls, piled cells, non -climbing toilets and disgusting foods.This has left them scared, frustrated and struggling to find hope. I assured them that I do everything I can to ensure -urgently their safe release, » wrote Barrett.
He said after meeting with the Akeos, he met with the President of the Supreme Court of Quintana Roo to « speed up any relief we can provide. »
A day later, Barrett Shared a video of akeos boarding on a plane To return to Michigan, writing, « Paul and Christy Akeo return home. Mission made. »
On March 24, the couple’s daughter, Lindsey Hull, said that her mother and stepfather were « retained without bail in a Mexican prison of maximum security » In a Facebook post.
« The last 21 days of being kept in captivity is the direct result of my parents simply challenging the costs of credit card illegally made by The Palace Company, Aka Palace Resorts with American Express. American Express was revealed with my mother and Paul in response to these illicit positions, » Hull wrote in a statement on March 24.
« The last 21 days of torture that my parents have spent are a direct response to the corruption of the Palau company, the extortion, the retaliation and the blackmail against our parents. The Palau company demands $ 250,000, the signing of an NDA that does not even guarantee its launch, as well as a Facebook publication made by our parents to leave a week that has been called for the last three liability for the three last week. Weeks, « Hull continued. Hull continued.
Hull stated that the palace company also applied for a public apology to his parents, who said he was « absolutely ill. »
« My mother and Paul are denied medical care, they are denied adequate communication and public dissemination. They have been retained in prison for 21 days, and despite asking for several times they talk to Paul, we still have to have any communication with him, » Hull wrote.
« My mother has lost 25 pounds. In 20 days for inability to eat, as the prison serves the food they are aware of allergic. He also has a serious eruption throughout the body they refuse to treat, » he added.
Hull said he had raised his concerns with the United States Consulate for three weeks, although they were allegedly not organized by a visit with North Citizens -prisoners imprisoned until « 17 days after their prison. »
« In other words, the United States Consulate and the United States Embassy have not been useless, » Hull added.
He said his family had spent « thousands of thousand dollars toward the Mexican legal representation. »
« But, unfortunately, this only comes when this level of corruption and extortion is. We have also known the previous demands that the Palau’s company has given us and, however, they have not had any serious response to letting our parents release, » Hull said in his post.
Hull Shared a video of his parents returning home On April 4, writing: « When mother and father are finally at home after 30 days !!! »
Following their return, the couple’s lawyers thanked the special envoy Adam Boehler, President of the United States Donald Trump And Barrett, calling « hero in my book ».
« President Trump, I know he personally involved this and wanted them at home, so I give him a lot of credit, » Manly told cnn. « No North -American should have to endure what these people have supported. But for these three men, I think they would still be sitting there. »
In a statement, Hull thanked the government officials for helping to organize their parents’ launch and said Barrett’s efforts.
« He traveled to Cancun with great personal risk, camped in prison and made it clear that he would not return home without them, » he said In a statement On April 3. « His heroic efforts as a veteran represent the best traditions of the military of our nation to never leave a north -American. »
« It should not be a North -American hostage to the demands of a private company anywhere in the world, » he said.
Hull added that his parents will be treated by « illness and trauma » inflicted during his captivity.
– With Reuters files
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