Man jailed in Denver made boots for Bush

Mexican accused of using protected skins in footwear

Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 22, 2007 at midnight

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One of the men arrested in Denver this month for trading in protected animal skins, conspiracy and money laundering was a bootmaker to world leaders, including President Bush and former Mexican President -Vicente Fox.

Martin Villegas was one of eight people indicted by a Colorado grand jury after a three- year investigation by U.S. and Mexican authorities.

The group sent more than 25 shipments to the United States, including skins from sea turtles, ostriches and caimans, according to the indictment.

Now his arrest - and Mexico's raid of a warehouse filled with hundreds of cowboy boots and belts made from endangered species - has raised questions about how much Fox knew and whether the former Mexican president knowingly purchased illegal boots himself.

Before Fox left office in December, Villegas created a special brand of cowboy boot named after him.

Fox denied on his Web site Friday that he had knowledge of the scheme and challenged the media to come up with evidence to support the allegations.

The Mexican bootmaker also produced footwear for Fox's bodyguards, Cabinet members, relatives and friends - including Bush.

Bush, a fellow lover of ranchwear, accepted a pair of ostrich- skin cowboy boots as a gift during a visit to Fox's ranch in 2001.

Villegas was arrested Sept. 6 after coming to Denver to meet a client who turned out to be an undercover agent.

Days later, Mexican federal agents raided the factory and warehouse in Leon, which is owned by one of the other Mexican suspects, Esteban Lopez Estrada.

Authorities found about 400 pairs of cowboy boots and 150 belts made of the skins of endangered sea turtles, as well as products made illegally from the hides of crocodiles, lizards and cobras.

At a news conference the day of the arrest, federal authorities said boots made of sea turtle skin can fetch up to $500 on the black market.

Also on Friday, Chinese authorities arrested Fu Yiner, the owner of Yiner Music.

According to a federal indictment, Yiner is accused of shipping more than 300 guitar picks to the United States made from the shells of sea turtles, which are protected under an international agreement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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