Gerardo Ortiz testifies in court to performing cartel-linked shows while signed to Del Records
Gerardo Ortiz appeared in a Los Angeles federal court Wednesday to testify against his former boss and CEO of Del Records Angel Del Villar.
The music executive is appearing in court for charges that trace back to 2022 alleging him of violating a federal law that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates.
Within the criminal complaint filed three years ago, it was alleged that Ortiz was approached by an FBI agent in 2018 at the Phoenix airport who informed him that his Del Entertainment music promoter Jesus 'Chucho' Pérez Alvear allegedly had connections to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Treasury officials said at the time that Pérez Alvear had laundered drug money for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion and a related trafficking group, Los Cuinis.
Read more: Del Records CEO charged with arranging concerts with promoter tied to drug traffickers
Ortiz was advised to not conduct business with Pérez Alvear, as he had been sanctioned by U.S. officials as a "specially designated narcotics trafficker."
The "Para Qué Lastimarme" singer admitted in court that he performed at the 2018 Feria de San Marcos in Aguascalientes, Mexico, despite already being made aware of Pérez Alvear's status, according to Univision.
Ortiz, who was signed under Del Records from 2009 to 2019, has already pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy regarding the case and is now cooperating with U.S. officials.
Pérez Alvear was killed by gunfire while at a Mexico City restaurant in December 2024.
Del Villar, who founded Del Records in 2008, is being charged with violating the Kingpin Act through his involvement with Pérez Alvear. The law prohibits anyone in the United States from engaging in deals or transactions with people or businesses sanctioned by the Treasury Department.
Read more: Chiquis, Thalía, Manuel Turizo y Gerardo Ortíz anotaron sus goles en Los Ángeles durante el 'Concierto de Campeones'
Marissa Goldberg, Del Villar's defense attorney, alleged earlier this week in court that her client had been tricked by his former employee Brian Gutierrez into believing that his company was operating fully legally. Furthermore, she claimed that Gutierrez had worked with FBI officials to "manufacture a gotcha situation to take down someone they perceived to be on top," according to Rolling Stone.
Prosecutors in the case claimed that it was Del Villar who had persuaded Ortiz to go against the FBI's warning to the musician to stop working with Pérez Alvear. The CEO was allegedly incentivized to advise this due to the money he would get from the music promoter's successful showcases.
"Brian Gutierrez found out about the designation of Chucho Pérez [as a drug trafficker], and he began his scheme of manipulation," Goldberg claimed. She added that Gutierrez allegedly nixed a press release that would've announced that Ortiz would not be performing at the 2018 Feria de San Marcos.
Per The Times' reporting, Del Villar's employees drafted a news release at the time, stating the company had 'no choice' but to 'obey U.S. law and not allow the bookings of any of my shows to individuals the Dept. of Treasury has deemed sanctioned.'
The news release was never distributed, but U.S. agents used a search warrant to later obtain the draft.
Read more: El FBI hace redada en Del Records, y Gerardo Ortíz niega que haya sido por él
'It was Brian who put a stop to that press release,' Goldberg claimed. 'Instead, he convinced everyone to just, 'Leave it to me. I'll contact the lawyers. I'm gonna make sure everything we do going forward is acceptable.'"
Del Records was once in a bitter feud with Ortiz, a Pasadena native, who was once arrested in Mexico on a charge of 'criminal exaltation' for appearing in a music video that portrayed the mistress of a drug lord being bound, gagged and stuffed in the trunk of a car, which Ortiz then set on fire.
Ortiz and Del Villar sued each other in 2019, trading accusations of fraud and other misconduct. When the FBI raided the label's Bell Gardens offices in 2020, a spokesman claimed the agents were only seeking records concerning Ortiz.
The Times has reached out to Ortiz's representatives and Del Villar's legal team for comment.
Times reporter Matthew Ormseth contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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