Border Patrol agents under investigation for ties to the tequila mogul are also under surveillance for partying with a businessman

Senior Border Patrol officials under investigation for their ties to a Mexican tequila mogul also attended parties thrown by his friend, a wealthy businessman involved in cross-border trade, raising questions about whether A conflict of interest exists, two sources familiar with the relationship told NBC News.

Mexican-American businessman Eduardo Garza, who owns Uni-Trade, which advises international companies on “global transportation, foreign trade and customs,” hosted Border Patrol agents at his ranch in Laredo, Texas, for three events and hosted a smaller group of officials in Mexico for two more events, the sources said.

According to the sources, Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility is currently investigating whether senior officials, including Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens and Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Gloria Chavez, disclosed their contacts with Garza or anything Garza provided to them. fully disclosed.

According to the sources, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General is also asking questions about Chavez and Garza’s activities at some or all events.

Regardless of what they may or may not have disclosed, CBP’s ethics guidelines prohibit accepting gifts from anyone who “engages in activities regulated by the employee’s agency” or “has interests that may arise from the performance or non-performance of the employee’s official duties.” can be significantly affected.”

Uni-Trade describes itself as a “customs broker” on its website. Because Garza’s company conducts activities regulated by the CBP, he may be considered a “prohibited source” of gifts, according to the sources. The Code of Ethics defines gifts as “entertainment, hospitality…transportation, local travel, lodging and meals.”

According to the sources, Garza introduced Owens and Chavez to tequila maker Francisco Javier González.

As NBC News previously reported, Owens and Chavez are already under investigation by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility over their contacts with Gonzalez, who wanted to make Border Patrol-branded tequila to celebrate the agency’s 100th anniversary this month.

Garza and the Border Patrol

Garza is well known in Laredo, Texas, a border city of more than 250,000 people on the Rio Grande. He sponsored the city’s baseball stadium, which is named after Uni-Trade. He has received foreign officials such as the governor of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas at his home and received keys to the city of Laredo.

He is also politically active and has donated thousands of dollars to city and county officials, according to a 2013 affidavit from a defamation lawsuit he filed and published by a Laredo newspaper. In the affidavit, Garza also disclosed that he had flown local elected officials on his company aircraft on more than one occasion.

According to the sources, in July 2023, Garza hosted an event attended by Border Patrol agents at his ranch in Laredo, following a leadership change ceremony at the Border Patrol office in Laredo.

Three months later, in October 2023, the event registration for a summit was held at Garza Ranch, bringing together Border Patrol leaders from the Laredo and Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol sectors, a copy of the agenda said. Participants were then entertained at the ranch. They were shuttled to the ranch, listened to Garza, ate a “uni-trade sponsored dinner,” and were entertained by a comedian hired by Garza.

In December, following a four-day Border Patrol sector chiefs conference in Laredo, Garza hosted chiefs from around the country and traveling staff for dinner at his ranch, according to a copy of the agenda and photos obtained by NBC News. The dinner lasted from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and was on the agenda as a “Uni Trade Dinner”.

In photos from the dinner, Garza is seen at a table with Owens, Chavez and former Laredo sector chief Joel Martinez, who left the agency shortly after after being accused of sexual misconduct toward female subordinates. (Martinez did not comment on the allegations.) An eight-piece mariachi band entertained guests, according to cell phone video obtained by NBC News.

Internal investigators are also looking into allegations that Chavez traveled with Garza to Guadalajara, Mexico, in November 2023 and whether she or Garza paid for their travel and ground transportation.

This February, Owens, Chavez and Garza traveled to Jalisco, Mexico, and were part of a group invited by González, the distiller, to Tequila Casa de los González, his family’s distillery complex, where they celebrated Owens’ birthday.

In a picture from the February gathering, Owens sits in front of what looks like a birthday cake and holds a cigar. Garza sits right next to him. The tequila maker González stands up as if to make a toast.

González also attended at least one of the parties hosted by Garza in Laredo.

Through his attorney, Garza said he “never paid for travel or transportation for Gloria Chavez or Jason Owens.” When asked about the purpose of the social events for Border Patrol employees, Garza said he “hosted a number of celebrations at his home for various reasons, but the purpose of these celebrations were related to family, friends or sporting events.”

The CBP Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating whether Owens and Chavez disclosed their contact with Garza and what Garza or González provided on the trip to Jalisco.

The Border Patrol tequila plan has been put on hold due to the ongoing investigation. On Thursday, Owens said on the social media platform that the schedule posted online included two golf tournaments, a parade and a black tie gala.

When asked for comment, a CBP spokesperson referred NBC News to the statement CBP issued on May 10 for the initial story about the Border Patrol agents and the tequila maker: “CBP has confidence in our senior leaders and demands of them the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Consistent with our commitment to accountability, we thoroughly investigate all allegations and take appropriate action to address any issues identified during the investigation. CBP will continue to strengthen our commitment to the agency’s standards at all levels.”

‘It’s embarrassing’

Border Patrol leadership has now been ordered to complete mandatory ethics training before participating in centennial celebrations scheduled for next week and to avoid certain activities, such as a golf tournament sponsored by companies that may have sought or are seeking contracts with CBP , two sources told NBC News.

After NBC’s initial report on the trip to his family’s distillery, González told NBC News that he first met Chavez at a private event in Guadalajara in November and then met Owens at a party in Laredo in December.

He said at those meetings they began discussing the idea of ​​a special limited edition of his Reserva de Los González tequila brand to be used for the Border Patrol’s centennial celebration.

The border guard’s presence at its Jalisco plant on Feb. 2 was arranged to give border guards insight into the plant’s operations, the choice of tequila variety and “all the legal formalities that need to be completed,” he said.

González said he did not pay for the trip and did not know how the Border Patrol agents traveled to his distillery.

González did not comment on why Garza and others seen in the images from Jalisco were also present.

Although the tequila project was eventually canceled, he said he never intended to protect a Border Patrol tequila brand or sell the special edition commercially.

Meanwhile, several rank-and-file Border Patrol agents have expressed dismay at revelations about Owens and Chavez’s trip to the tequila distillery.

Hector Garza, president of the Border Patrol Union in Laredo, told local station KGNS after the NBC News report: “We don’t know if it happened personally on duty or off duty.” Again, this is under investigation, but I believe the taxpayer doesn’t expect us to travel internationally for tequila projects.”

Another Border Patrol official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the allegations being investigated were embarrassing for the agency.

“It is embarrassing how these individuals led and how inattentive they were,” the agent said. “That’s annoying.”