Hollywood A-lister Sean Penn and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman have met last year for an interview while the latter was free after escaping prison. Due to this, Mexican authorities have launched a criminal investigation regarding the encounter so as to see if there were crimes committed.
In a report by NBC News, Mexican officials are investigating the meeting, not specifically Penn and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo. Government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said in a statement that they are not looking into specific people but the meeting in general. He said, "The Attorney General's Office is investigating this event and others involving contacts that Joaquin Guzman had while he was on the run."
Guzman had the interview with Penn and del Castillo in October, Breaking News reported. Accordingly, he tried to meet with other producers, actors and actresses as he wanted to make a movie out of his life.
Chicago Tribune reported that it would be difficult to charge Penn or del Castillo unless they aided Guzman while he was out hiding.
Carols Barragan y Salvatierra, a professor of law at Mexico's National University, said in a statement: "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." He pointed out that meeting with a fugitive is not a crime even if the law says that it should be reported, it is not punishable.
The meeting between Penn and Guzman led to the recapturing of the latter. He was recaptured last Friday by the marines and other law enforcement agencies. It has been reported that the meetings between the actor and the drug lord were under surveillance.
Penn was asked about the issue and he said that he has nothing to hide while del Castillo has not publicly commented on the matter.
