The administration alleges that 50% of the musician’s royalties on streaming platforms go directly tothe Cartel del Noreste.
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 move comes after the administration has stripped the visas of some of Mexico’s most famous musicians, targeting those whose genres often explore themes related to cartels.
The U.S. Treasury Department accused Hernández, a musician they refer to as a « narco-rapper », of being associated with the Cartel del Noreste, CDN, an evolution of the former Zetas Cartel. According to the department, he laundered money for the criminal group through concerts and events. The CDN is one of several Latin American organized crime groups that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
The administration alleges that 50% of Hernández’s royalties on streaming platforms go directly to the cartel, leading to his sanctioning alongside leaders of the cartel on allegations that he acted for or on behalf of the criminal group.
Hernández did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
« CDN depends on these alternative revenue streams and money laundering methods to boost their criminal enterprise, diversifying their income beyond criminal activity like drug trafficking, human smuggling, and extortion », wrote the Treasury Department in a news release.
The sanctions would block the rapper’s properties in the U.
