Quería dinero rápido y secuestré a tres jóvenes | Gerardo #Penitencia 172 #Entrevista #México
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Gerardo, 56, has served 27 years in prison for kidnapping, with additional sentences for crimes committed inside.
- ❖His father, a 'paco' fraudster from Tepito, inadvertently introduced him to a life of non-violent crime.
- ❖The 'paco' fraud involved tricking victims into exchanging their real money for fake bundles (newspaper with real bills) by appealing to their avarice.
- ❖Gerardo transitioned from fraud to kidnapping, driven by drug use and a desire for faster, larger sums of money.
- ❖During a kidnapping, he felt remorse and actively protected a 14-year-old victim from physical harm by other accomplices.
- ❖His father was arrested with him due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but was later released.
- ❖Gerardo's family nucleus is fractured; his partner left, and his children rarely visit, leading to feelings of isolation.
- ❖He expresses deep regret for his actions and seeks forgiveness from his victims, acknowledging his youth and avarice led him astray.
Insights
1The 'Paco' Fraud: A Non-Violent Deception Taught by Family
Gerardo's father, a native of Tepito, taught him a sophisticated fraud technique known as 'paco' or 'verbo y gracia.' This method involved one person dropping a fake money bundle (newspaper cut to bill size with a real bill on top) near a bank customer. A second person (Gerardo) would then approach the customer, pretending to be a fellow 'finder,' and through persuasive conversation, convince the victim to exchange their real money for the fake bundle, appealing to their avarice and desire for a quick profit. This was considered a 'minor' crime with bail, as no physical or verbal violence was used.
Gerardo describes his father as 'de los pocos que sabían hacer eso' (). He details the process: 'se le cae el paco... lo tenemos envuelto en pañuelos... el periódico se corta a la medida del billete... nada más se le pone un billete real hasta arriba' (-). He emphasizes, 'No se le toca su avaricia, señorita. O sea, en ningún momento yo la violento ni verbal ni ni físicamente.' (-).
2Escalation to Kidnapping Driven by Avarice and Drug Use
Despite years of engaging in 'paco' fraud, Gerardo's desire for more money, coupled with his drug use, led him to transition to kidnapping. He was approached by friends with the proposition to participate in a kidnapping, which he considered for a week before agreeing. He actively participated in 'lifting' (abducting) the victim and then guarding him, motivated by the prospect of a larger payout, rejecting the 'gota a gota' (drop by drop) approach of fraud for the 'chorro rápido' (quick gush) of kidnapping.
Gerardo states, 'para mis 24 años, pues yo ya consumía drogas... ¿Qué te estaban proponiendo? Un secuestro.' (-). He admits, 'me ganó la avaricia realmente... Él quiere tener más de lo que de lo que iba yo agarrando. O sea, no quise seguir el dicho que dice gota gota dura más que que chorro que se acabe.' (-).
3Compassion for a Young Victim Amidst Violence
During the first kidnapping of a 14-year-old boy, Gerardo experienced significant remorse and actively protected the victim from harm by his accomplices. He spoke to the blindfolded boy, reassuring him that he would not be hurt, drawing parallels to his own siblings. This act of compassion highlights a complex moral landscape within his criminal actions, where a line was drawn against physical abuse.
Gerardo recounts, 'sí sentía el remordimiento, pues cuando estaba yo con el joven... lo vea porque pues yo tenía hermanos, yo pues yo tenía una hermana de la edad de ese joven' (-). He explicitly states, 'lo único que no permitía era que lo maltrataran... No, amigos, o sea, nada más lo tenemos secuestrado, no le vamos a pegar, no le vamos a motilar, no le vamos a no lo voy a permitir, muchachos.' (-).
4The Accidental Incarceration and Release of His Father
Gerardo's father, who had previously engaged in 'paco' fraud but not the kidnapping, was arrested alongside him. This was not due to his direct involvement in the kidnapping but because he was visiting a neighbor at the property where Gerardo's group operated at the time of the police raid. His father, already experienced with the prison system, guided Gerardo on how to navigate incarceration. He was later released after serving his sentence.
Gerardo clarifies, 'Él [my father] porque me fue a visitar, él vivía al lado del terreno donde estábamos entrando... mi padre se encontraba dentro con él, o sea, con él, conviviendo y por eso pues por eso llegó conmigo pues a la cárcel, no por lo que no por lo que la había hecho ya en sus años atrás, sino por nada más por estar en el lugar que no debía haber estado. Él no participó.' (-).
Bottom Line
The 'paco' fraud demonstrates how sophisticated psychological manipulation, leveraging human avarice, can be more effective than brute force in committing theft, highlighting a vulnerability in human nature.
Understanding such non-violent, 'verb-based' crimes can inform public awareness campaigns and security measures that go beyond physical protection, focusing on psychological defenses against manipulation.
Develop educational programs for bank customers or vulnerable populations about common 'confidence tricks' that exploit greed, rather than relying solely on physical security.
Even within a violent criminal act like kidnapping, an individual can exhibit selective compassion, drawing a moral line against certain forms of harm (e.g., physical abuse) while still perpetrating the core crime.
This complexity challenges simplistic views of criminals as purely evil and suggests that even in extreme situations, remnants of empathy or personal moral codes can persist, which could be leveraged in rehabilitation efforts.
Explore psychological interventions in prison that identify and nurture existing moral frameworks or latent empathy in inmates, even those involved in severe crimes, as a foundation for genuine remorse and behavioral change.
Key Concepts
The 'Paco' Fraud (Verbo y Gracia)
A non-violent deception technique where two individuals collaborate. One 'accidentally' drops a bundle of fake money (newspaper cut to bill size with a real bill on top) near a target, typically someone leaving a bank. The second accomplice then approaches the target, pretending to be a co-conspirator in finding the money. Through persuasive 'verbo y gracia' (eloquence and charm), they convince the avaricious victim to 'invest' their own real money into the fake bundle, promising a larger split, ultimately leaving the victim with worthless paper.
The Seed of Delinquency
This model describes how early exposure to deviant behaviors, peer influence, and a lack of moral guidance can plant a 'seed' that grows into a criminal lifestyle. Gerardo's initial petty thefts, followed by association with delinquent friends and later his father's criminal tutelage, illustrate this gradual but profound shift from a disciplined, sporty youth to a life of crime.
Lessons
- Recognize that early childhood experiences, particularly indifference and a lack of guidance, can significantly influence an individual's susceptibility to criminal paths.
- Be aware of sophisticated non-violent fraud techniques like 'paco' that exploit human avarice, and educate oneself and others on how to resist such psychological manipulation.
- Understand that the desire for 'quick money' (avarice) and substance abuse can be powerful drivers for escalating criminal behavior, even for individuals who previously engaged in less violent crimes.
Notable Moments
Gerardo's detailed explanation of the 'paco' fraud, a non-violent, psychologically manipulative scheme he learned from his father.
This provides a unique, specific insight into a lesser-known criminal technique that exploits human greed rather than force, illustrating a different facet of criminal ingenuity.
Gerardo's admission of feeling remorse and actively protecting a 14-year-old kidnapping victim from physical harm by his accomplices.
This moment reveals the complex moral landscape within a perpetrator, showing that even in violent crime, elements of empathy or a personal code can exist, challenging simplistic views of criminals.
The story of Gerardo's father being incarcerated not for direct involvement in the kidnapping, but for being present at the wrong place at the wrong time during the arrest.
This highlights the collateral damage of criminal activity and how proximity can lead to severe consequences, while also showing the father's continued support and guidance for Gerardo within prison.
Quotes
"El niño que no es abrazado por su aldea de adulto la quemará para sentir su calor."
"No, la verdad no. O sea, pues ya por ahora que ya por ahora que ya lo entiendo, no no valió la pena, la verdad."
"No se le toca su avaricia, señorita. O sea, en ningún momento yo la violento ni verbal ni ni físicamente."
"Me ganó la avaricia realmente si tienes razón, esa es la palabra correcta. La avaricia. Él quiere tener más de lo que de lo que iba yo agarrando. O sea, no quise seguir el dicho que dice gota gota dura más que que chorro que se acabe."
"No, amigos, o sea, nada más lo tenemos secuestrado, no le vamos a pegar, no le vamos a motilar, no le vamos a no lo voy a permitir, muchachos."
"Pues por mis actos sí, por mis actos cometidos sí, porque pues no se lo voy a negar. Sí, lo hice, pero pues ya ahorita ya en día pues es pues ya entiendo que pues estaba yo mal."
Q&A
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