Stop the presses! There’s no robe without a racket and no law firm without a scheme. Meet Alfonso Carrillo Marroquín, the man who’s been rocking the cradle of Guatemala’s justice system since 1999—with the finesse of a puppeteer and the ambition of a courtroom emperor.

“Dad, I need you on the bench”

It all began in 1999, when Alfonso skillfully convinced his father, Alfonso Carrillo Castillo, to run for the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). Not out of pride or family legacy, but out of cold political calculation: he wanted control over judicial decisions and full ownership of the family law firm. And he got both. Not only did his father become a magistrate, but he also presided over the court in 2003.

While his father wore the robe, Alfonso grew Carrillo & Asociados into a legal juggernaut—reportedly billing nearly $2 million per month at its peak. That kind of money raises a very simple question: was it legal, and did he pay taxes? That’s still under investigation.

The not-so-family law firm

Carrillo didn’t just inherit the firm—he seized it, cutting out his own sister, Analucía, a fellow attorney. The fallout? Lawsuits, internal conflicts, and legal intervention in what used to be one of Guatemala’s most powerful law offices.

Exiled operator with NGO Wi-Fi

In 2018, right after Iván Velásquez was barred from entering Guatemala, Carrillo left too. Since then, he has operated from abroad using NGOs like the Cyrus Vance Center and the American Bar Association to exert pressure. He’s even filed legal motions with Guatemala’s Constitutional Court from outside the country—illegally—prompting the CC to refer him to the Public Ministry. Since then, he’s gone quiet—at least on paper.

Enter Jorge Gaitán Castro…

A fallen piece in Carrillo’s influence puzzle, Jorge Gaitán Castro, once a loudmouth activist, now sits in Mariscal Zavala prison under an active INTERPOL Red Notice. Accused of defrauding a private company, his ties to Carrillo’s judicial lobby network are no coincidence—they’re a direct result.