The meeting that then-fugitive drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman held with actor Sean Penn and actress Kate del Castillo in October, is being investigated by Mexican officials to see if any crimes were committed.
But government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said late Tuesday that it is the possibility of illegal acts, rather than specific people, that authorities in Mexico are looking into.
He said,
"We investigate actions, we don't investigate people. The attorney General's Office is investigating this event and others involving contacts that Joaquin Guzman had while he was on the run."
Carlos Barragan y Salvatierra, a professor of law at Mexico's National University, said there would be little ground to prosecute Penn or Del Castillo, unless money or gifts changed hands.
Barragan y Salvatierra said,
"If during the dinner El Chapo gave them money, or jewels, or he gave them money for the movie or any other transaction, they could be charged with money laundering".
But he noted, "meeting with a fugitive or criminal is not a crime, even if the law says we should report crimes, there is no punishment for not doing so."
13-01-2016 - Vidéo Sean Penn /
