Rapper El Makabelico sanctioned by Treasury over alleged cartel ties
The big picture: Treasury says the rapper, whose real name is Ricardo Hernandez Medrano, is an associate of the Mexico-based Cártel del Noreste.
The government claims that his concerts are used to launder money for the cartel, and that half of his streaming royalties go to the group.
Hernandez's record label did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What they're saying: The Treasury Department, in a statement, said the rapper was being sanctioned for "being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly" the cartel.
The sanctions block any property or businesses he owns in the United States, and generally block Americans from doing business with him.
Zoom out: El Makabelico has a broad social media audience, with 1 million Instagram followers, 1.3 million on TikTok and nearly 2.8 million subscribers on YouTube.
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