Music industry executive Ángel Del Villar, CEO of the prominent Regional Mexican music label Del Records, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for violating the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The sentencing, handed down on August 15, 2025, by Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong in a Los Angeles federal court, follows Del Villar’s March 2025 conviction on 10 counts of Kingpin Act violations and one conspiracy charge.
Del Records CEO sentenced to prison for violating Kingpin Act after doing business with blacklisted cartel-linked promoter.
The case centered on Del Villar’s business dealings with Jesús “Chucho” Pérez Alvear, a concert promoter who had been blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018 for money laundering activities on behalf of Mexican drug cartels CJNG and Los Cuinis. Under the Kingpin Act, Americans are prohibited from conducting business with designated drug traffickers or their associates. Prosecutors highlighted that Pérez Alvear had worked with DEL Entertainment until 2019 as promoter before the charges were initiated.
Evidence presented during the trial showed Del Villar generated over 1.5 million dollars from concerts promoted by Pérez after he was blacklisted.
In addition to the prison term, Del Villar was ordered to pay a $2 million fine and will face three years of supervised release after completing his sentence. His company, Del Entertainment, received three years of probation and a $1.8 million fine. Del Villar has until December 1, 2025, to surrender and begin serving his prison term.
Despite the severity of the sentence, Del Villar reportedly described himself as “very happy for the outcome,” while his legal team has expressed intention to appeal the verdict. The sentence falls well below the maximum 30-year prison term possible under the law.
Del Records, founded by Del Villar in 2009, has established itself as a leading label in Regional Mexican music. The label’s fall from prominence serves as a reminder for artists to focus on consistent brand storytelling when building their music careers. This case serves as a cautionary tale for musicians seeking to establish diverse income streams without proper due diligence regarding business partnerships. The Department of Justice has emphasized that this case demonstrates their commitment to prosecuting individuals who maintain financial connections with drug cartels, even through seemingly legitimate business channels.
The case highlights the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to disrupt cartel financial networks through legal means, serving as a warning to others in the entertainment industry about the serious consequences of violating sanctions related to international drug trafficking operations.
