Andrés Tovar, a prominent television producer and husband of actress Maite Perroni, has been formally bound over for trial in Mexico City on charges of fraud and falsifying statements. The ruling, issued on 19 May but only publicly reported in mid-June, follows a criminal complaint by Imagen Televisión, the network where Tovar spent much of his career. Prosecutors allege he defrauded the broadcaster of 150 million pesos (roughly £6.5 million). Under Mexican law, a vinculación a proceso does not imply guilt; it means a judge found sufficient evidence to proceed to a full trial. Tovar remains free while the case advances, but if convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison. The case has drawn attention beyond Mexico’s media industry because of Tovar’s marriage to Perroni, a former RBD star with a global fanbase.

The dispute originated in 2024 when Tovar filed a civil lawsuit against Imagen Televisión, seeking compensation for entertainment formats he developed, including programmes hosted by presenter Rocío Sánchez Azuara. Tovar maintains he never specified a monetary claim, instead asking a court to appoint an expert to calculate any damages. However, Mexican media, particularly the celebrity-focused magazine TVNotas, widely reported a demand for 150 million pesos, a figure Tovar denounces as a deliberate falsehood. Imagen Televisión responded by lodging a criminal counter-complaint, accusing Tovar of fraud and false declarations in the context of the legal battle. Viewed from Mexico City, the tit-for-tat escalation reflects a pattern in which corporate broadcasters increasingly deploy criminal law to counter contractual disputes with individual creators.

Tovar has taken to Instagram to defend himself, framing the criminal case as retaliation for his decision to stand up for his intellectual property rights. He accuses TVNotas of acting with malice, alleging the magazine has persistently sought to harm his reputation. His wife has not issued a public statement, but the couple’s celebrity profile has amplified the case internationally. Legal analysts in Latin America note that the outcome could set a precedent for how networks negotiate with producers and writers, especially as streaming platforms disrupt traditional television and intensify conflicts over format ownership. The next phase will involve months or even years of evidence gathering, with Tovar’s defence expected to challenge the charges through amparo appeals. From a global perspective, the proceedings mirror tensions in Hollywood and European broadcasting, where the boundary between contractual disagreement and criminal fraud is frequently contested, underscoring the power imbalances that can define relationships between creative talent and the networks that once championed them.