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Federal prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of six years for Ángel del Villar, the CEO of Latin music record label Del Records, following his conviction on charges related to ties with Mexican drug cartels.
According to reports, the government has asked a judge to impose a 78-month prison sentence, accompanied by three years of supervised release and a $300,000 fine. The requested punishment comes as a result of del Villar’s alleged involvement in arranging concerts with Jesus Pérez Alvear, a concert promoter linked to one of the world’s most brutal criminal organizations.
Prosecutors claim that del Villar knew the federal government had imposed sanctions on Pérez Alvear due to his involvement in money laundering and glorifying the activities of drug cartels. Despite this knowledge, they assert that del Villar continued to work with Pérez Alvear, accepting nearly $200,000 in payments from him.
In their sentencing filing, authorities emphasized the need for a stiff sentence to send a message about the severity of violating U.S. sanctions laws. “The whole point of the sanctions regime – to economically isolate and cripple foreign bad actors – depends on U.S. persons taking sanctions designations seriously,” prosecutors wrote in the filing.
The legal team representing del Villar has yet to comment on the proposed sentence, as they await a court hearing currently scheduled for next week.
This case is part of a larger investigation into allegations of money laundering and corruption within the Latin music industry.
Source: www.billboard.com
