DOJ: 5 Mexican Cartel Bosses Charged in Drug, Gun Schemes

The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by leaders from several federal agencies, said Wednesday that members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, have been indicted on allegations ranging from drug trafficking and firearms violations to elaborate timeshare scams that prosecutors say preyed on older Americans.

The charges were unveiled during a broader multi-agency press conference focused on a major wave of law enforcement actions aimed at the Mexico-based cartel.

“These sophisticated organizations use violence and fear to maintain control over the importation of deadly narcotics in the United States, including fentanyl, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs. Their actions spread violence and death to our communities,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at the briefing.

Blanche said the accused cartel figures face a wide span of charges tied to drug distribution networks, teams of trained assassins allegedly linked to killings and attempted murders, weapons acquisition, money laundering, and the production and trafficking of lethal narcotics. He added that three of the defendants are also accused of taking part in a complex timeshare fraud operation targeting elderly Americans.

As part of the crackdown, the DOJ’s criminal division filed federal charges against five high-ranking CJNG members, including counts involving narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses, Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva said. Duva also laid out how authorities say the alleged timeshare scheme worked.

According to Duva, CJNG-linked fraudsters approached Americans who either owned or hoped to buy timeshares in Mexico, with many victims described as elderly. The scammers allegedly promised returns through the sale or rental of the properties, but told victims they first needed to pay taxes and upfront fees. The promised money never materialized. Instead, once victims paid, they were contacted again by people posing as attorneys or officials claiming they could recover the losses — for yet another fee.

Duva said the deception continued to evolve, with scammers allegedly telling some victims they had paid money to a cartel and could face arrest unless they sent even more cash. He cited the case of an 83-year-old American who had purchased a timeshare years earlier for $179,000 and was allegedly deceived repeatedly. The victim paid initial advance fees, was drawn in by fake real estate and title company websites, and was later targeted again by impostors posing as attorneys who shared supposed bar credentials and fraudulent websites while claiming they could help recover his money.

“Government agencies then contacted him for additional fees, using government letterhead and spoofed government websites. And then again, Mexican law enforcement contacted him and demanded he pay criminal and civil fines because he had apparently paid a cartel. It went on and on. It victimized this man for hundreds of thousands of dollars over eight years,” Duva said.

Between 2019 and 2023, FBI Director Kash Patel explained during the news conference, the scheme defrauded over 6,000 Americans to the tune of $400 million.

“These individuals, pursuant to the New York Field Office investigation that began a few years ago, started call centers, down south and across the world. The funds they utilized and they scammed out of these call centers from senior citizens from across America, totaled over $400 million. They duped our seniors using email, telephone, text messages and phishing campaigns into subscribing to a timeshare project that they falsely stood up and falsely delivered promises that our seniors would be able to enjoy their lives and their vacations, only to have that money seized from them and that vacation and their retirements deprived from them,” Patel said.

Patel also announced that the FBI had executed over 30 foreign transfers of custody in 15 countries in July alone.

“I’m here to tell you today, for all these individuals that are on the run right now, you will not be on the run for long. We will hunt you down in every corner of the planet, and we will return you here to face American justice,” he said. Patel also said the FBI was working to return stolen funds to the elderly victims, adding “we have seized these funds and we are going to get them back to the senior citizens that were fleeced of their life savings and their retirements. That is the mission of law enforcement.”

Blanche said the DOJ has been working with a wide swath of other federal agencies on increased enforcement actions which he said have helped reduce fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S. by 22%. The agencies involved in the enforcement actions included the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the IRS, the State Department, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

The DEA’s Administrator Terry Cole framed the enforcement as an America First policy during the news conference.

“Since the inception nearly two decades ago, CJNG has grown into one of the world’s most dangerous and ruthless foreign terrorist organizations. CJNG was built on a vast criminal network that produces and distributes deadly drugs, while sustaining a powerful influence via violence and corruption in Mexico. This includes members within the Mexican government who shield CJNG leadership from justice and facilitate drug trafficking, money laundering, and violence,” Cole said.

“CJNG actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Americans, Americans that were lost way too soon. They did this through the production and distribution of fentanyl, a weapon of mass destruction. DEA is aggressively targeting both the cartels and the corrupt government officials who are responsible for the deaths of our citizens,” Cole continued.

“Today’s coordinated actions against CJNG leadership and infrastructure, including superseding indictments and rewards totaling more than $100 million in arrest, will not end. It sends a very clear message. This is just the beginning. This is about Americans first. This is a fight against CJNG that we are just beginning, and we will not back down. DEA investigations of cases have generated more than 100 federal indictments against CJNG leaders and members and associates. We are working with our international partners to arrest, extradite, and prosecute these defendants in the United States,” Cole concluded.

Blanche said the agency partnered with the State Department to offer up to $100 million for information leading to the arrest of the cartel leaders.

News Outlet contacted the DOJ, FBI and DEA for further comment.