A top Mexican narco-music producer and a Venezuelan photographer were singled out by the U.S. Department of Treasury as having helped drug cartels. The producer is accused of helping a cartel launder money, while the photographer is alleged to have run an international prostitution ring.
The allegations came from the Department of Treasury which moved to seize the pair’s assets in the U.S. and added them to their kingpin catalogue, which lists individuals who play key roles in international organized crime. U.S. citizens and firms are prohibited from carrying out any business with individuals in the lists. According to the allegations, narco-music promoter Jesus “Chucho Perez” Perez Alvear laundered money for Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacíon and Los Cuinis. Venezuelan-Italian fashion photographer Miguel Jose Leone Martinez stands accused of running an international prostitution ring tied to Los Cuinis as well.
The man known as “Chucho Perez” is believed to launder drug proceeds through narco-music concerts in Mexico. Perez is considered to be a close ally of the leadership of Los Cuinis and the CJNG. Through his business, Gallistica Diamante (AKA Ticket Premier), Perez holds concerts in town fairs and events and is known to use violence to get the concession sales. He allegedly commingles the cartel’s money with his own for laundering purposes.
One of the musicians that Perez does business with is Julio Cesar “Julion Alvarez” Alvarez Montelongo. As Breitbart Texas reported, Julion Alvarez was singled out by Treasury officials and added to the kingpin list for his business dealings with another cartel that is an ally of CJNG and Los Cuinis. Alvarez became an embarrassment for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who was caught deleting a social media post of the two men riding in a boat shortly after the U.S. announced Alvarez was a wanted kingpin.
Leone Martinez is a known associate of Perez, who authorities claim uses his role as a fashion photographer to recruit models and beauty pageant contestants from Europe and South America to become prostitutes for Los Cuinis.
“Treasury is targeting individuals who work on behalf of violent Mexican drug kingpins, and support their opulent lifestyles by trafficking deadly drugs into the United States,” said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence in a prepared statement. “Our designation of Jesus Perez Alvear exposes his role helping CJNG and Los Cuinis exploit the Mexican music industry to launder drug proceeds and glorify their criminal activities. We are targeting fashion photographer Miguel Jose Leone who leads an international prostitution ring that recruits models and beauty pageant contestants from South America and Europe into prostitution for senior members of the Los Cuinis DTO.”
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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