A federal jury has convicted Latin music executive Ángel del Villar, CEO of Del Records, of knowingly arranging concerts with a promoter linked to Mexican drug cartels. The guilty verdict, handed down on Thursday (March 27), sets the stage for a potential decades-long prison sentence.
Del Villar, 41, was found guilty on 10 counts of violating the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, a federal law that bars U.S. residents from doing business with known drug traffickers, as well as one conspiracy charge. The jury also found his company, Del Entertainment Inc., guilty on these charges.
Prosecutors alleged that del Villar repeatedly arranged concerts with Jesus Pérez Alvear, a Guadalajara-based promoter who allegedly had ties to Mexican cartels. Regional Mexican superstar Gerardo Ortiz testified against del Villar, stating he had seen Pérez Alvear at the Del Records offices and had performed at one of his concerts.
Del Villar’s attorneys argued that he had been “manipulated” into working with Pérez Alvear by a trusted former employee named Brian Gutierrez. However, the jury rejected this defense argument, handing down guilty verdicts against both del Villar and his company.
Under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, del Villar could face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. He will face sentencing in August.
Del Villar’s attorneys vowed to file an appeal, stating that the jury got it wrong and that the case was misunderstood. However, Gutierrez’s attorney stressed that the jury had rejected the defense argument pinning the blame on his client.
The charges against del Villar stem from a June 2022 indictment, which alleged that he, CFO Luca Scalisi, and Del Records conspired to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The U.S. Treasury Department added Pérez Alvear to the sanctions list in 2018, claiming he had helped cartels exploit the Mexican music industry.
Following del Villar’s guilty verdict, Scalisi will face his own jury trial in July on similar charges. The conviction marks a significant blow to Del Records, which was founded by del Villar in 2008 and grew into a top record company for regional Mexican music.
Source: Billboard
