Overview

• U.S. prosecutors have asked a federal court in Los Angeles to sentence José Ángel del Villar to 78 months in prison and impose a $300,000 fine for his role in laundering cartel funds through concert promotions.
• Gerardo Ortiz pleaded guilty in May 2024 under the reign NaNarcotics Kingpin Designation Act for conducting prohibited transactions with a cartel-linked promoter.
• In March 2025 Ortiz testified against Del Villar, detailing how Del Records and Gallística Diamante diverted roughly $1.5 million in concert revenues to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación.
• Ortiz remains free under his plea agreement, faces sentencing on November 19, 2025, and has already scheduled performances in anticipation of a reduced or noncustodial penalty.
• The case illustrates the Justice Department’s reliance on Kingpin Act sanctions and cooperating witnesses to disrupt international narcotics-financing networks in the entertainment industry.