A federal jury on Thursday ruled CEO Del Records, a Bell Garden-based record company that conspired to violate a federal law that prohibits U.S. residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their colleagues.
After a nine-day trial, Ángel Del Villar, 44, and his talented agency Del Entertainment were found guilty of one conspiracy to conduct business with a recognized person in connection with drug trafficking, violating the Kingpin Act and Violating Kingpin Act.
Del Records CEO Angel Del Villar beat 10 million YouTube users on Del Records on January 27, 2023 at Bell Gardens, California.
(Ella Hovsepian/Getty Images)
The Kingpin Act prohibits anyone in the United States from trading or trading with a person or business approved by the Treasury Department.
Federal authorities arrest and charge Delvela In 2022.
According to evidence at the trial, in April 2018, Del Villar and the talent agency operated with the music promoter of Guadalajara (aka “chucho”) with Jesús Pérez Alvear. Finance officials said at the time that Perez washed drugs for Cartel de Jalisco Nueva’s generator and related trafficking organization Los Cuinis.
Pérez is accused of bringing traffickers’ profits into legal income, earning reasonable income from ticketing and refreshment sales. U.S. Treasury officials said he also promoted singers, folk “Glory” traffickers and their crimes.
Perez had previously admitted to conducting business with the approval of approved persons in connection with drug trafficking. He promoted the concerts of Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024.
During the trial – there is a testimony of a pop singer’s regional music in Mexico Gerardo Ortiz – Del Villar’s lawyers tried to transfer the responsibility to former employees of Del Records Brian Gutiérrez. Marissa Goldberg, a lawyer for Del Villar, said in his opening remarks that the case revolves around “misplaced trust” and “manipulation.”
Goldberg accused Gutierrez of working with the government, “creating a trap situation to defeat those they think are at their highest.”
Delville’s attorney did not return a request for comment Thursday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Del Veral and Del Entertainment deliberately operated with Perez, “continue to perform at concerts with Del Entertainment music artists, Perez and Del Entertainment have financial interests.”
“The defendant here chose to conduct business with an individual with a CJNG connection and was designated as a narcotic trafficker under the Kingpin Act,” said the ATTY agent. Joseph McNally. “Cartells and transnational criminal organizations have caused immeasurable harm to our country. We are using each tool to eliminate these organizations and prosecute those that do business with cartels.”
During the trial, Del Villar’s attorney Goldberg told the jury that her client was an immigrant from Mexico and “realized the American dream.” She said he was passionate about Mexican regional music, childhood music, and started a record label twenty years ago.
Authorities say the trouble began in 2018.
FBI Special Agent Lauren Radke wrote in court that Ortiz of Mexico was scheduled to perform at a concert in Aguascalientes, Mexico, at a concert held by Pérez of Mexico in Aguascalientes.
Del Villa employees drafted a press release at the time, noting that the company “had no choice” but “complying with U.S. law, no reservations for any of my shows are allowed for any of my shows.
Radek wrote that the press release was never distributed, but the agent obtained the draft using a search warrant a year later. The news recurred throughout the trial.
Radke and other agents met Ortiz at an airport in Phoenix, where they handed the singer a letter from the Treasury and told him that he was banned from doing business with Pérez.
Later that day, Luca Scalisi, chief financial officer of Del Records, left a voice message with a record label employee. Radke wrote that Scalisi said Del Villa wanted the chief financial officer to go to Mexico to collect debts from Pérez to Del Villa’s affiliated Mexican company.
Scalici said he was worried about creating a “note” to Perez because the concert promoters were “surveilled.”
Authorities also accused Scalisi, 58, of violating the Kim Pin Act. He pleaded not guilty and his trial was scheduled to take place in July.
Radeck wrote that Ortiz ended up performing in Perez, who performed in Perez. Delville’s credit card is used to pay for private jets that transport Ortiz from Van Nuys Airport to Aguascalientes’ performance, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said on several other occasions in 2018 and 2019 that Perez and Pérez and Del Villa continued to arrange Ortiz to perform at concerts in Mexico.
According to the 2018 Feria de San Marcos in Mexico, the singer of “Quélastimalme” admitted in court, despite realizing Pérez’s status, even though he had realized the Aguascalientes in Mexico. Univision.
Ortiz, signed under DEL Records from 2009 to 2019, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to the case.
Del Villa is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison for each offense. Del Entertainment will face five years of probation, with a fine of $10 million each.
Time workers Matthew Ormseth and Carlos de Loera contributed to the report.
