An Ontario couple says they wired C$280,000 to a Mexico-based real-estate firm after being promised keys to a one-bedroom condo and later pitched a seven-unit flip; they allege no unit or refund was delivered. Transfers occurred in late 2024 into an HSBC account tied to Xen Investments; the couple filed a criminal complaint in Mexico and media attention prompted local authorities in Quintana Roo to examine the matter. No criminal charges or court rulings have been announced. Officials urge buyers to verify title, use independent Mexican counsel and insist on escrow protections.
C$280K Vanished, Keys Never Delivered: Ontario Couple Alleges Mexico Condo Investment Scam — Authorities Now Probing
Image Credit: Naomi Sayers 💕/X.
An Ontario couple says they wired a total of C$280,000 to a Mexico-based real-estate operation after being promised the keys to a one-bedroom condo and then being pitched a larger, potentially lucrative seven-unit flip in Playa del Carmen. The couple alleges no condos were delivered and none of the money was returned; Mexican authorities in Quintana Roo have begun examining the complaint after media attention.
What Happened
Cindy Thompson says she first transferred C$170,000 in November and December 2024 to buy a one-bedroom unit in the Taak Maya development. The funds were deposited into a Mexican HSBC account tied to a company identified in reporting as Xen Investments (also linked to XMEX Investments). When the keys never arrived, Thompson says the money was rolled into a new proposal to acquire seven units in the same building.
Her partner, Glenn Brown, later added C$110,000 from his retirement savings after signing a share-purchase agreement with Xen Investments. The couple says the larger deal also failed to close: no keys, no titles, no resale proceeds and no refund of the C$280,000.
People And Claims
Thompson met a British national named Harry Robinson in Playa del Carmen in October 2024, who introduced her to his Mexican business partner, Jacqueline Herrera Herrera. Documents reviewed by CBC identified Robinson and Herrera as co-owners of a Mexican firm called Xen Investments. Robinson signed the purchase agreement that accompanied Thompson’s payments.
Robinson reportedly told Thompson the one-bedroom unit’s keys would arrive within two or three months. When the unit remained unavailable by March 2025, Robinson allegedly proposed converting Thompson’s C$170,000 into seed money for a seven-unit flip he described as buyable for US$100,000 each and resellable for US$250,000 each. Because that larger purchase required substantially more capital, Brown supplied the additional funds.
The couple later say they were told another investor had died, creating a shortfall that prevented the seven-unit acquisition from closing. Robinson later told Thompson that Herrera controlled the Xen Investments bank account and removed the funds after they arrived. Robinson has filed his own complaint against Herrera; Thompson and Brown filed a criminal complaint in Mexico naming both individuals.
Official Response And Investigations
Mexican authorities in Quintana Roo began examining the complaint after increased scrutiny prompted by media coverage and a CBC journalist’s question to Mexico’s president in June 2026. As of the latest reporting, no criminal charges, repayment orders or court findings have been announced and the allegations remain unproven in court.
Practical Advice For Cross-Border Buyers
Government Of Canada Guidance: Real-estate agents in Mexico are not regulated the same way as in Canada. Canadians should consult independent legal counsel in both countries, verify title and registry records, and avoid using a lawyer recommended by the seller.
Before wiring money for foreign property purchases, buyers should have an independent Mexican lawyer verify the seller’s authority, the exact unit, registry records, title status, liens, the purchase agreement, escrow arrangements and refund rights. For developments sold by builders or promoters, Mexico’s consumer-protection agency PROFECO requires registration of standard-form contracts — buyers can check whether a contract is registered and matches the seller and project details.
Document And Reporting Checklist
Retain copies of advertisements, WhatsApp messages, emails, contracts, wire-transfer receipts, bank-account details, corporate records, property-registry documents, unit numbers, photos, lawyer correspondence, refund promises and every version of the investment pitch. If a transaction goes wrong, contact an independent local lawyer quickly, preserve the paper trail, file any required complaint before leaving the country if present there, and reach out to the nearest Canadian consular office for advice on local reporting steps.
Context: Cross-border real-estate transactions can be complex and slow to resolve. This case highlights the financial and emotional toll such disputes can take and underlines the importance of independent verification and secure escrow arrangements when buying property abroad.
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