The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three senior members and one associate of the Cártel del Noreste (CDN)—formerly known as Los Zetas—for their roles in the cartel's criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion and money laundering.
Among those sanctioned is Ricardo Hernández, a popular Mexican rapper known as "El Makabelico." OFAC described him as a "prominent associate" of the cartel, alleging that his music career and public persona have been used to support CDN's operations.
According to the U.S. officials, the cartel launders money through El Makabelico's concerts and public events. They added that up to 50 percent of the rapper's streaming royalties from platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music go directly to the criminal organization.
"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," the Treasury Department said in a statement.
The other three individuals named in the sanctions are Abdon Rodríguez, Antonio Romero and Francisco Esqueda.
Rodríguez, also known as "Cucho," is allegedly the cartel's second-in-command. According to OFAC, he is involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, fuel theft and extortion. He is also accused of ordering and carrying out executions on behalf of the group.
Romero, identified as a senior CDN member, has reportedly led operations in the states of Coahuila and Tamaulipas. Known as "Romeo," he is a former Tamaulipas police officer and has been linked to multiple executions and beheadings, as well as the attempted assassination of a Nuevo Laredo government official earlier this year.
Esqueda was named by OFAC as the head of CDN's tactical operations in Nuevo Laredo. He has been involved with the cartel since its days as Los Zetas, according to U.S. authorities. He is allegedly responsible for assaulting a member of the Mexican army and ordering an attack on a military helicopter during the arrest of a CDN leader earlier this year.
Cártel del Noreste
Formed as a splinter group of Los Zetas after the arrests of several high-ranking members, the Cártel del Noreste has become one of the most prominent criminal organizations operating in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León. The group is known for drug and arms trafficking, as well as kidnappings and extortion.
According to InSight Crime, the CDN has worked in recent years to expand its territorial control into neighboring states. Since at least 2019, the cartel has been involved in violent conflicts with rival splinter groups from Los Zetas, along with factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and other independent criminal organizations.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration designated CDN as one of eight criminal groups classified as terrorist organizations. Since then, U.S. authorities have launched a series of operations aimed at disrupting the cartel's illicit activities.
In June, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 72 undocumented immigrants and seized cash, narcotics and firearms during a raid on a CDN-controlled nightclub in Charleston, South Carolina.
🚨A Mexican illegal alien and member of a violent cartel was arrested by @ICEgov agents in Charleston. This arrest underscores our commitment to protecting communities from transnational criminal threats. pic.twitter.com/NC0B5Y5FEH
— HSI Charlotte (@HSI_Charlotte) June 2, 2025
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