Rapper sanctioned over cartel laundering claims

A Mexican rapper has been sanctioned by the US Treasury after being accused of laundering cartel money through his concerts and streaming royalties.

Ricardo Hernandez Medrano, known by his stage names El Makabelico or Comando Exclusivo, is alleged to be an associate of Mexico-based drug trafficking organisation Cartel del Noreste (CDN).

Medrano, who has 3.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify and millions of followers on social media, is referred to by the Treasury as a “notorious narco-rapper”.

It is alleged that Hernandez’s concerts and events are used to launder money on behalf of CDN. The treasury says that 50% of his royalties from streaming platforms going directly to the group, which “depends on these alternative revenue streams and money laundering methods to boost their criminal enterprise”.

The action also targets three alleged “high-ranking members” of CDN

According to the Treasury, the 34-year-old is being sanctioned “for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, CDN.”

“Under President Trump, the Treasury department will continue to be relentless in its effort to put America first by targeting terrorist drug cartels,” says secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “These cartels poison Americans with fentanyl and conduct human smuggling operations along our southwest border. Treasury, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, is committed to a full-frontal assault on the cartels, targeting the leadership and revenue streams that enable their horrific crimes.”

The action, which was coordinated with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), also targets three alleged “high-ranking members” of CDN.

Earlier this year, the US State Department revoked visas held by members of Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco for “glorifying a drug kingpin”. Deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau alleged the band had projected an image of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, onto a big screen at a concert in Mexico.

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