Guillermo 'Billy' Álvarez Cuevas, who led the Cruz Azul cooperative for more than three decades, died on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in a hospital in Toluca.
The former executive died at 0:29 hours in the Hospital General Doctor Nicolás San Juan after suffering multiple organ failure due to septic shock. Álvarez, 80, had been held since January 2025 in the Altiplano prison on charges of organized crime, money laundering and tax fraud.
Investigations against Álvarez began in 2020 following internal questions at the cooperative over alleged financial irregularities. He remained a fugitive for more than four years until his arrest in Mexico City in January 2025.
His death came one week after Cruz Azul won its tenth Liga MX title. Several Mexican football figures expressed condolences after learning of the death.
