(18 Jun 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Wide shot of Deputy Federal Attorney Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos walking into news conference
2. Vasconcelos checking microphone
3. Cutaway cameraman
4. Wide of news conference
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Deputy Federal Attorney:
"In an action without precedent, the Attorney General's Office will receive a payment for Mexico of over 74 (m) million US dollars from Swiss Judge Paul Perraudin, that will be deposited in Mexico's Federal account and will be used by the Mexican government."
6. Cutaway photographer
7. Cutaway cameramen
8. Close up Mexican Flag
9. Vasconcelos leaving news conference
AP Television
FILE: Mexico - June 2005
10.Various of Raul Salinas stepping out of prison accompanied by relatives
STORYLINE:
Swiss authorities will hand over 74 (m) million US dollars to the Mexican government from bank accounts linked to the brother of Mexico's former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, the Justice Ministry said on Wednesday.
The ministry statement said the money is "clearly of criminal origin."
Mexico's Attorney General's office said in a statement that the money will be deposited in a government account to be used for the benefit of all Mexicans.
Officials did not elaborate.
More than 130 (m) million US dollars in bank accounts linked to Raul Salinas had been frozen in accounts in Switzerland and London pending this final decision.
The accounts were frozen in November 1995, when Swiss investigators first suspected that the money came from drug traffickers.
Mexican authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into the activities of Raul Salinas and others in connection with money laundering and the embezzlement of public funds, the ministry statement said.
Swiss authorities said they have already released 45 (m) million US dollars of the total amount frozen in the Salinas case.
The money was released to those entitled to it because it had been determined the money was of legal origin.
Federal Examining Magistrate Paul Perraudin said in releasing the funds that he was closing the Swiss proceedings in the case.
The Swiss authorities froze funds initially in the case when they started criminal proceedings for alleged money laundering nearly 13 years ago.
About 110 (m) million US dollars were frozen then as part of the Swiss proceedings and on the basis of an application from Mexico for judicial assistance. Interest has been added.
The decision to release the funds came in response to a Dec. 19, 2007, Mexican request, the statement said.
In 2002 Switzerland gave Mexico its extensive files from its money-laundering investigation.
The Mexican attorney general's office said it would analyse the documents for its investigation into how Raul Salinas amassed millions of dollars while his brother was president.
Raul Salinas, now 66, was released from prison in 2005 after the overturning of his murder conviction for killing his former brother in law, Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu.
He said at the time that his actions in keeping more than 100 (m) million US dollars under false names in Swiss bank accounts were "very unfortunate" and "unforgivable."
Carlos Salinas, Mexico's president from 1988 to 1994, has not been charged with wrongdoing in the financial case. The former president denied any knowledge of the money.
Switzerland, embarrassed in past years that its banking secrecy rules fostered a reputation as a safe haven for the funds of dictators and other corrupt foreigners, has stepped up its fight against money laundering.
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