DEL Records CEO Angel del Villar was arrested by FBI agents on Tuesday (June 14) and is being charged with “conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act,” according to an official statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Luca Scalisi, CFO of DEL Entertainment, was also arrested.
According to the U.S. Attorney, del Villar and Scalisi were charged for “conducting business with a Guadalajara-based concert promoter with ties to Mexican drug cartels.” A third defendant named in the complaint is Mexican music promoter Jesus Perez Alvear, who leads Gallistica Diamente (Ticket Premier) and until March 2019 promoted concerts in Mexico for DEL Entertainment.
Perez and Gallistica Diamante are listed as “Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers” under the Kingpin Act, “which prevents people in the United States from conducting business with the two entities,” according the information released by the Department of Justice.
The criminal complaint alleges that on April 19, 2018, FBI agents approached a “well-known musician” who in the complaint is referred to as Individual A. “[Agents] explicitly told Individual A about Perez’s designation under the Kingpin Act and how that prohibited him from conducting business with Perez and performing concerts that Perez promoted.” Nearly ten days later, Individual A performed at a concert organized by Perez where Del Villar’s credit card was used to pay for a private jet that took the musician from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Additionally, Individual A performed four additional concerts in Mexico — specifically in Mexicali, Salamanca, Chiapas and San Jose Iturbide — promoted by Perez. “Individual A acted at the direction or with the knowledge of Del Villar, Scalisi and Perez,” the document explains.
Del Villar and Scalisi made appearances at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 14) where del Villar was ordered released on $100,000 bond and Scalisi was ordered released on $35,000 bond. Arraignments have been scheduled for July 20. If either are convicted of violating the Kingpin Act, they could face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Perez would also face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Del Villar’a arrest comes two years after FBI agents conducted a raid at DEL Records’ headquarters after the label — home to chart-topping artists Eslabon Armado and Lenin Ramirez — was sued by former signee Gerardo Ortiz for alleged fraudulent conduct, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and violation of the Talent Agencies Act.
DEL Records did not respond to a request for comment at time of publishing.
