Latest news with #BellGardens-based
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mexican corrido band Los Alegres del Barranco had U.S. visas canceled over cartel imagery
The U.S. State Department dropped the work and tourist visas of the members of the Mexican corrido band Los Alegres del Barranco after the group displayed photos of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes at its concert in Guadalajara, Mexico. During their March 29 show at the University of Guadalajara, the band put an illustrated depiction of Cervantes — a key player in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — on a mega-screen while playing their song "El Dueño del Palenque." Videos of the incident were captured on social media. The State Department's actions terminated the band's plans to tour in the U.S., which would have begun April 4 in Tulsa, Okla., and included a May 25 stop in L.A. County at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena. Read more: Del Records CEO found guilty after doing business with cartel-linked concert promoter On Tuesday, Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of State, confirmed the report on X. 'I'm a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn't mean that expression should be free of consequences,' Landau said in his post. 'A Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin 'El Mencho' — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert in Mexico," he wrote. "I'm pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the band members' work and tourism visas. In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners' access to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.' A month prior to Landau's announcement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the State Department designated eight cartels and transnational organizations — including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Criticism of Los Alegres del Barranco came from both sides of the border, as there has been increased public outcry in Mexico about the praise found for crime bosses in regional Mexican music. One of the vocal critics of the band's actions was Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum. Read more: Trial of reputed Mexican cartel leader's son offers cautionary tale for 'narco juniors' 'That shouldn't happen. It's not right,' Sheinbaum said of the incident during a March 31 press conference. "You can't apologize for violence nor for criminal groups." The president also called for there to be an investigation of what occurred at the concert. But this isn't the first time CJNG has been associated with regional Mexican artists. Last month, a federal jury convicted the chief executive of Del Records, a Bell Gardens-based label that produces música Mexicana, of conspiring to violate the Kingpin Statute that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates. In April 2018, Ángel Del Villar and his entertainment agency worked with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a Guadalajara-based music promoter who had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, according to evidence presented in court. Treasury Department officials said at the time that Pérez had laundered drug money for the CJNG and an affiliated trafficking group, Los Cuinis. Read more: Gerardo Ortiz testifies in court to performing cartel-linked shows while signed to Del Records Pérez was accused of commingling the traffickers' profits with legitimate revenue from ticket and refreshment sales. He also promoted singers of narcocorridos, ballads that critics say 'glorify' traffickers and their crimes, Treasury officials stated. Pérez had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Del Villar and Del Entertainment willfully did business with Pérez 'by continuing to have a Del Entertainment musical artist perform at concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest.' In a statement issued by email, Del Villar's legal team said they strongly disagree with the March 27 verdict and plan to appeal. Del Villar is set to be sentenced Aug. 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison on each count. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $10 million for each count. Times' staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report. Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Mexican corrido band sees U.S. visas canceled after displaying cartel photos
The U.S. State Department dropped the work and tourist visas of the members of the Mexican corrido band Los Alegres del Barranco after the group displayed photos of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes at its concert in Guadalajara, Mexico. During their March 29 show at the University of Guadalajara, the band put an illustrated depiction of Cervantes — a key player in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — on a mega-screen while playing their song 'El Dueño del Palenque.' Videos of the incident were captured on social media. The State Department's actions terminated the band's plans to tour in the U.S., which would have begun April 4 in Tulsa, Okla., and included a May 25 stop in L.A. County at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena. On Tuesday, Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of State, confirmed the report on X. 'I'm a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn't mean that expression should be free of consequences,' Landau said in his post. 'A Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin 'El Mencho' — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert in Mexico,' he wrote. 'I'm pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the band members' work and tourism visas. In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners' access to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.' A month prior to Landau's announcement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the State Department designated eight cartels and transnational organizations — including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Criticism of Los Alegres del Barranco came from both sides of the border, as there has been increased public outcry in Mexico about the praise found for crime bosses in regional Mexican music. One of the vocal critics of the band's actions was Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum. 'That shouldn't happen. It's not right,' Sheinbaum said of the incident during a March 31 press conference. 'You can't apologize for violence nor for criminal groups.' The president also called for there to be an investigation of what occurred at the concert. But this isn't the first time CJNG has been associated with regional Mexican artists. Last month, a federal jury convicted the chief executive of Del Records, a Bell Gardens-based label that produces música Mexicana, of conspiring to violate the Kingpin Statute that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates. In April 2018, Ángel Del Villar and his entertainment agency worked with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a Guadalajara-based music promoter who had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, according to evidence presented in court. Treasury Department officials said at the time that Pérez had laundered drug money for the CJNG and an affiliated trafficking group, Los Cuinis. Pérez was accused of commingling the traffickers' profits with legitimate revenue from ticket and refreshment sales. He also promoted singers of narcocorridos, ballads that critics say 'glorify' traffickers and their crimes, Treasury officials stated. Pérez had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Del Villar and Del Entertainment willfully did business with Pérez 'by continuing to have a Del Entertainment musical artist perform at concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest.' In a statement issued by email, Del Villar's legal team said they strongly disagree with the March 27 verdict and plan to appeal. Del Villar is set to be sentenced Aug. 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison on each count. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $10 million for each count. Times' staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Del Records CEO found guilty after doing business with cartel-linked concert promoter
A federal jury Thursday convicted the chief executive of Del Records, a Bell Gardens-based label that produces Latin music, of conspiring to violate a federal law that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates. After a nine-day trial, Ángel Del Villar, 44, and his talent agency, Del Entertainment, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking, in violation of the Kingpin Act and 10 counts of violating the Kingpin Act, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in L.A. The Kingpin Act prohibits anyone in the U.S. from engaging in deals or transactions with people or businesses sanctioned by the Treasury Department. Federal authorities arrested and charged Del Villar in 2022. In April 2018, Del Villar and the talent agency did business with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a.k.a. 'Chucho," a Guadalajara-based music promoter who had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, according to evidence presented at trial. Treasury officials said at the time that Pérez had laundered drug money for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion and a related trafficking group, Los Cuinis. Pérez was accused of commingling the traffickers' profits with legitimate revenue from ticket and refreshment sales. He also promoted singers of narcocorridos, ballads which 'glorify' traffickers and their crimes, Treasury officials said. Pérez had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024. During the trial — which featured testimony from a popular singer of Mexican regional music named Gerardo Ortiz — Del Villar's attorneys tried to shift the blame onto a former employee of Del Records, Brian Gutiérrez. One of Del Villar's attorneys, Marissa Goldberg, said in her opening statement that the case centered around "misplaced trust" and "manipulation." Goldberg accused Gutierrez of working with the government, "to manufacture a gotcha situation to take down someone that they perceived to be on top." Del Villar's attorneys did not return a request for comment on Thursday. According to the U.S. attorney's office, Del Villar and Del Entertainment willfully did business with Pérez, "by continuing to have a Del Entertainment musical artist perform at concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest." 'The defendants here chose to get into business with an individual they knew had ties to the CJNG and had been designated a narcotics trafficker under the Kingpin Act,' said acting U.S. Atty. Joseph McNally. 'Cartels and transnational criminal organizations cause immeasurable harm to our country. We are using every tool to eliminate these organizations and will prosecute those that do business with cartels.' During the trial, Goldberg, Del Villar's attorney, told the jury that her client, an immigrant from Mexico, had "accomplished the American dream." She said he had a passion for Mexican regional music, the music of his childhood, and started his record label two decades ago. The trouble, authorities said, began in 2018. Ortiz, one of Del Records' artists, had been scheduled to perform at a concert organized by Pérez in the state of Aguascalientes, Mexico, when the promoter was sanctioned, FBI Special Agent Lauren Radke wrote in an affidavit filed in court. 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 agents used a search warrant to obtain the draft a year later, Radke wrote. That news release came up repeatedly throughout the trial. Radke and other agents met with Ortiz at an airport in Phoenix, where they handed the singer a letter from the Treasury Department and told him he was prohibited from doing business with Pérez. Later that day, Del Records' chief financial officer, Luca Scalisi, left a voice message with an employee of the record label. Scalisi said Del Villar wanted the chief financial officer to go to Mexico to collect a debt that Pérez owed to a Mexican company affiliated with Del Villar, Radke wrote. Scalisi said he was concerned about creating a 'paper trail' leading to Pérez because the concert promoter was 'under surveillance," Radke wrote. Authorities have also charged Scalisi, 58, with violating the Kingpin Act. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled for July. Ortiz ultimately did perform at the concert Perez staged in Aguascalientes, Radke wrote. Del Villar's credit card was used to pay for a private jet that transported Ortiz from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, according to the U.S. attorney's office. On multiple other occasions in 2018 and 2019, authorities said Pérez and Del Villar continued to do business by arranging for Ortiz to perform at concerts in Mexico. 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's status, according to Univision. Ortiz, who was signed under Del Records from 2009 to 2019, has already pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy tied to the case. Del Villar is set to be sentenced on August 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison on each count. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $10 million for each count. Times staff writers Matthew Ormseth and Carlos De Loera contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
28-03-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Del Records CEO found guilty after doing business with cartel-linked concert promoter
A federal jury Thursday convicted the chief executive of Del Records, a Bell Gardens-based label that produces Latin music, of conspiring to violate a federal law that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates. After a nine-day trial, Ángel Del Villar, 44, and his talent agency, Del Entertainment, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking, in violation of the Kingpin Act and 10 counts of violating the Kingpin Act, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in L.A. The Kingpin Act prohibits anyone in the U.S. from engaging in deals or transactions with people or businesses sanctioned by the Treasury Department. Federal authorities arrested and charged Del Villar in 2022. In April 2018, Del Villar and the talent agency did business with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a.k.a. 'Chucho,' a Guadalajara-based music promoter who had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department, according to evidence presented at trial. Treasury officials said at the time that Pérez had laundered drug money for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion and a related trafficking group, Los Cuinis. Pérez was accused of commingling the traffickers' profits with legitimate revenue from ticket and refreshment sales. He also promoted singers of narcocorridos, ballads which 'glorify' traffickers and their crimes, Treasury officials said. Pérez had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people connected to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024. During the trial — which featured testimony from a popular singer of Mexican regional music named Gerardo Ortiz — Del Villar's attorneys tried to shift the blame onto a former employee of Del Records, Brian Gutiérrez. One of Del Villar's attorneys, Marissa Goldberg, said in her opening statement that the case centered around 'misplaced trust' and 'manipulation.' Goldberg accused Gutierrez of working with the government, 'to manufacture a gotcha situation to take down someone that they perceived to be on top.' Del Villar's attorneys did not return a request for comment on Thursday. According to the U.S. attorney's office, Del Villar and Del Entertainment willfully did business with Pérez, 'by continuing to have a Del Entertainment musical artist perform at concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest.' 'The defendants here chose to get into business with an individual they knew had ties to the CJNG and had been designated a narcotics trafficker under the Kingpin Act,' said acting U.S. Atty. Joseph McNally. 'Cartels and transnational criminal organizations cause immeasurable harm to our country. We are using every tool to eliminate these organizations and will prosecute those that do business with cartels.' During the trial, Goldberg, Del Villar's attorney, told the jury that her client, an immigrant from Mexico, had 'accomplished the American dream.' She said he had a passion for Mexican regional music, the music of his childhood, and started his record label two decades ago. The trouble, authorities said, began in 2018. Ortiz, one of Del Records' artists, had been scheduled to perform at a concert organized by Pérez in the state of Aguascalientes, Mexico, when the promoter was sanctioned, FBI Special Agent Lauren Radke wrote in an affidavit filed in court. 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 agents used a search warrant to obtain the draft a year later, Radke wrote. That news release came up repeatedly throughout the trial. Radke and other agents met with Ortiz at an airport in Phoenix, where they handed the singer a letter from the Treasury Department and told him he was prohibited from doing business with Pérez. Later that day, Del Records' chief financial officer, Luca Scalisi, left a voice message with an employee of the record label. Scalisi said Del Villar wanted the chief financial officer to go to Mexico to collect a debt that Pérez owed to a Mexican company affiliated with Del Villar, Radke wrote. Scalisi said he was concerned about creating a 'paper trail' leading to Pérez because the concert promoter was 'under surveillance,' Radke wrote. Authorities have also charged Scalisi, 58, with violating the Kingpin Act. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled for July. Ortiz ultimately did perform at the concert Perez staged in Aguascalientes, Radke wrote. Del Villar's credit card was used to pay for a private jet that transported Ortiz from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, according to the U.S. attorney's office. On multiple other occasions in 2018 and 2019, authorities said Pérez and Del Villar continued to do business by arranging for Ortiz to perform at concerts in Mexico. 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's status, according to Univision. Ortiz, who was signed under Del Records from 2009 to 2019, has already pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy tied to the case. Del Villar is set to be sentenced on August 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison on each count. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $10 million for each count. Times staff writers Matthew Ormseth and Carlos De Loera contributed to this report.
