Joséángel del Villar was sentenced to four years in prison for his illegal cooperation with the concert sponsors who connected to the cartel, despite knowing the legal consequences.
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Jose Ángel Del Villar was sentenced to four years in federal prison and was fined $2 million after federal prosecutors said he intends to work with concert promoters linked to Mexico’s two most dangerous drug cartels.
The 45-year-old Del Records and Del Entertainment Inc. CEO was convicted in March on a charge of violating the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act and one count of conspiracy to trade on property belonging to a specially designated narcotics trafficker. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, his company was also fined $1.8 million and sentenced to three years of probation.
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The case focused on Del Villa’s business dealings with Mexican concert promoter Jesús Pérez Alvear, whose company Gallistica Diamante (also known as Ticket Premier) was blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department. Prosecutors said Perez and his business “launder money for Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and Los Cuinis drug trafficking organizations.”
“Even though Del Villar and Del Entertainment realized that it was illegal to trade with Pérez, they would do business with him by continuing the Del Entertainment Musical Artist performances performed at the concerts at Pérez and Del Entertainment,” the prosecutor said.
Pérez was killed in Mexico a few months before his verdict was announced in Del Villa in December 2024.
West Hollywood co-defendant Luca Scalis pleaded guilty in May to a conspiracy to trade on the property of a specially designated narcotic trafficker. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22.
Mexican drug cartels such as CJNG and Los Cuinis are considered one of the most violent and powerful criminal organizations in the world. These groups are known for their brutal law enforcement strategies and global drug trafficking operations, often using legal businesses, such as concert promotions, to launder money. Their influence crosses borders, making it a top priority for us and international law enforcement.
