US EditionTrump administration sanctions a Mexican rapper over allegations of cartel ties
MEXICO, AUG 6 – The U.S. Treasury froze El Makabelico's U.S. assets, citing that half of his streaming royalties help fund Cartel del Noreste's drug trafficking and extortion activities.
- The Trump administration sanctioned Mexican rapper Ricardo Hernández, known as El Makabelico, on August 6, 2025, in the U.S. for laundering money for Cartel del Noreste.
- The sanctions follow the February designation of Cartel del Noreste as a foreign terrorist organization due to its violent criminal activities and influence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Authorities accuse Hernández of funneling half his streaming royalties to the cartel and using concerts to launder funds, while similar visa revocations affected other musicians linked to narco-corrido themes.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the dangers posed by these cartels, stating they distribute fentanyl that harms American lives and are involved in smuggling people across the U.S.-Mexico border.
- The sanctions block Hernández’s U.S. assets and restrict business with him, indicating ongoing efforts to disrupt cartel funding channels through cultural and financial means.
42 Articles
42 Articles
US Hits 'Narco-Rapper' With Sanctions, Cartel Accusations
The Trump administration said Wednesday it was sanctioning Mexican musician Ricardo Hernández, known as "El Makabelico," over allegations that the artist was laundering money for a drug cartel. The administration has stripped the visas of some of Mexico's most famous musicians, targeting those whose work explores themes related to cartels,...
By Anabella Gonzalez and Mauricio Torres, CNN en Español The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned three alleged high-ranking members and an alleged prominent partner of the Northeast Cartel, formerly known as the Zetas, as reported in a statement this Wednesday. The Foreign Assets Control Office (OFAC) of the Treasury Department detailed that designated individuals “play a key role in collaborating with the Northeast Cartel in their heinous crime…
U.S. sanctions El Makabelico, a Mexican singer of the White Runs, for alleged money laundering for the C rtel del Northeast.
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