Santos Laguna announced in a statement that Alejandro Irarragorri, president of Orlegi Sports, has not been implicated in the proceedings brought by the FGR and the SAT. The decision marks the closure of a case that the institution has always handled with transparency, respect for the law, and full confidence in Mexican institutions.
Club Santos Laguna expressed its satisfaction following the court ruling that acquitted Alejandro Irarragorri Gutiérrez, president of Orlegi Sports—the group that owns Santos Laguna, Atlas FC, and Sporting de Gijón (Spain)—of the legal proceedings brought by the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) at the request of the Tax Administration Service (SAT).
According to the Santos Laguna newsletter, the Supervisory Judge assigned to the Federal Criminal Justice Center in the State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, based in Torreón, issued a ruling on October 7th dismissing the case, determining that there was no objective evidence to prove the existence of the crime or the alleged involvement of Alejandro Irarragorri Gutiérrez.
LEGAL COMMITMENT AND TRANSPARENCY: THE POSITION OF ALEJANDRO IRARRAGORRI AND SANTOS LAGUNA SINCE 2023
The case involving Santos Laguna and Alejandro Irarragorri began in June 2023, when the club reported the existence of an administrative proceeding before the SAT.
On June 27, 2023, Santos Laguna stated that it had no prior knowledge of any investigation and reaffirmed its willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities.
SANTOS LAGUNA ON THE SITUATION OF ALEJANDRO IRARRAGORRI:
Months later, on May 6, 2024, Santos Laguna issued a second statement on Alejandro Irarragorri’s legal status, clarifying that the case stemmed from a difference in tax interpretation for the 2017 fiscal year, and not from a crime.
The statement emphasized that “a matter of interpretation should not be made to appear to be a criminal issue for the purpose of intimidation or in violation of the principle of presumption of innocence.”
On August 2, 2024, Santos Laguna reiterated that it had no debt with the Treasury and that it would defend its rights “through the legal remedies available to us in court.”
He also pointed out that cooperation with the SAT had been “full and transparent,” although the club disagreed with the interpretation adopted by the tax authority.
COURT ACQUITS ALEJANDRO IRARRAGORRI IN SANTOS LAGUNA CASE
The Federal Administrative Court took a decisive turn in the case involving Santos Laguna and Alejandro Irarragorri, ruling in 2024 that most of the claims made by the Tax Administration Service (SAT) were unfounded.
The institution then highlighted that the court rulings reduced the observations to less than a third and reaffirmed its confidence in the Mexican courts, rejecting any attempt to exert pressure outside the law.
On October 7, 2025, the Supervisory Judge of the Federal Criminal Justice Center in Coahuila issued a ruling dismissing the case against Alejandro Irarragorri, determining that there was no evidence to prove any crime had been committed.
With this ruling, the judge acquitted the executive and closed the case. Santos Laguna celebrated the ruling as a confirmation of its confidence in the Mexican justice system and the rule of law.
Santos Laguna emphasized that this decision in favor of Alejandro Irarragorri “reaffirms the values of legality, transparency, and ethics” that guide the management of Orlegi Sports, a group that also owns Atlas FC and Sporting de Gijón.
With this result, Alejandro Irarragorri and Santos Laguna bring to an end a process that they faced with total adherence to the law, institutional integrity, and respect for the authorities, strengthening their credibility in Mexican and international sport.
