SANTIAGO ACOSTA ÁLVAREZ IS COUNSEL IN THE INVESTIGATIONS & COMPLIANCE PRACTICE AT CREEL, GARCÍA-CUÉLLAR, AIZA Y ENRÍQUEZ.
Santiago focuses his practice on complex international anti-corruption and white-collar investigations, advising clients across both the compliance and investigation dimensions of regulatory enforcement matters. With more than ten years of criminal litigation experience, his practice encompasses the design and implementation of compliance frameworks, the conduct of sensitive internal investigations, representation before investigative and law enforcement authorities, and the management of cross-border enforcement and corporate criminal liability risks.
Prior to joining the Firm, Santiago served as Director of the White-Collar Crimes Investigations Division at the Federal Fiscal Prosecutor’s Office (Procuraduría Fiscal de la Federación) of Mexico’s Federal Ministry of the Treasury (Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público), where he was responsible for a body of investigators and attorneys comprising a substantial number of public officials and led investigations of national significance. In that capacity, he served as lead counsel and representative of the Ministry of the Treasury and of the Mexican State in the first oral hearing (audiencia de juicio oral) conducted for the commission of a white-collar crime in Mexico, successfully securing the indictment of the three principal defendants. In 2018, he attended the Joint GAFILAT / FATF Assessor Training in Santiago, Chile, where the FATF Secretariat recognized him as a suitable candidate assessor for future mutual evaluations on behalf of the Mexican Government. He has also participated in numerous workshops and seminars on financial investigation techniques conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service. His background spans both sides of the file: investigating and prosecuting financial crime in the public sector, and defending clients in private practice.
In addition to his public-sector experience, Santiago practiced at a leading Mexican corporate law firm and at a prominent criminal litigation firm. Santiago has been recognized by Chambers and Partners as an Associate to Watch, by Legal 500 as a Rising Star for three consecutive years, and was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Mexico for his work in Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice.
Santiago obtained his Law Degree (J.D.) and professional license (cédula profesional) from the Universidad Iberoamericana in 2012 and holds a master’s degree in criminal procedure law. His native language is Spanish, and he is fluent in English.