West Hollywood Talent Executive Awaits Trial in Multi-Count Kingpin Act
A federal jury has convicted José Ángel Del Villar, 44, CEO of Del Records, and his talent agency, Del Entertainment Inc., of conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by conducting business with a Guadalajara-based concert promoter linked to Mexican drug cartels.
Del Villar, a Huntington Beach resident, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to transact in property of specially designated narcotics traffickers and 10 counts of violating the Kingpin Act. Del Entertainment was also convicted on all 11 counts.
His legal team released a statement saying, “This is one of those times that the criminal justice system got it wrong. “This case was unique and unprecedented, and it is clear that this complexity was misunderstood. On a personal level, Mr. Del Villar loves his wife, his children, and his incredibly strong circle of family and friends that have given unwavering support.”
According to trial evidence, between April 2018 and March 2019, Del Villar and Del Entertainment engaged in business dealings with Jesús Pérez Alvear, also known as “Chucho,” a music promoter from Guadalajara who managed Gallistica Diamante, also known as Ticket Premier. The U.S. Treasury Department designated Pérez and his company as “specially designated narcotics traffickers” on April 6, 2018, citing their involvement in laundering money for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization. Despite being aware of this designation, Del Villar and Del Entertainment continued their business relationship with Pérez, arranging performances for Del Entertainment artists at concerts financially linked to Pérez.
For instance, on April 19, 2018, FBI agents informed a well-known musician about Pérez’s designation and the legal prohibition against conducting business with him. Nonetheless, on April 28, 2018, this musician performed at a concert organized by Pérez. Del Villar’s credit card was used to pay for a private jet transporting the musician from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Similar collaborations occurred on multiple occasions in 2018 and 2019, including concerts in Mexicali and San José Iturbide, Guanajuato.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally emphasized the seriousness of these actions, stating, “The defendants here chose to get into business with an individual they knew had ties to the CJNG and had been designated a narcotics trafficker under the Kingpin Act.” He highlighted the harm caused by cartels and transnational criminal organizations and affirmed the commitment to prosecuting those who engage in business with such entities.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis underscored the legal ramifications, noting, “Doing business with government-sanctioned individuals is illegal and can have very serious consequences.” He added that the guilty verdict serves as a warning to the music industry and others against engaging with individuals sanctioned for laundering money for Mexican drug cartels.
United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong has scheduled the sentencing for August 15. Del Villar faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count, while Del Entertainment could be sentenced to five years of probation and fined $10 million for each count.
Co-defendant Luca Scalisi, 58, of West Hollywood, has pleaded not guilty and is set to be tried separately in July 2025. Scalisi, the chief financial officer of Del Entertainment, was arrested alongside Del Villar in June 2022. Both men made their initial court appearances in Los Angeles, with Del Villar released on a $100,000 bond and Scalisi on a $35,000 bond. Their arraignments were scheduled for July 20, 2022.
Another co-defendant, Jesús Pérez Alvear, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, was murdered in Mexico in December 2024.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation, with significant assistance from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Assistant United States Attorneys Benedetto L. Balding and Alexander B. Schwab of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, along with Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation integrates efforts from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
