Gerardo Ortiz Receives 3-Year Probation for His Involvement in Cartel-Related Shows

Mexican American singer Gerardo Ortiz has been sentenced to three years of probation after providing testimony against Ángel del Villar, the chief executive of Del Records, who federal prosecutors allege has ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

In March, Del Villar was convicted of violating the Kingpin Act, which prohibits U.S. residents and companies from engaging in business with known drug traffickers and their associates. He received a four-year federal prison sentence and was fined $2 million. However, Del Villar is currently free while he appeals his conviction.

Ortiz, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to the case, received his probationary sentence on November 19. He will also be required to pay a fine, although the amount is yet to be confirmed, according to his publicist.

“First of all, I want to apologize to my fans for everything that’s happened,” Ortiz stated. “We hope to keep moving forward.” His new album, “El Ejemplar,” released on November 20, a day after his sentencing, is part of his efforts to move past this chapter.

The legal troubles surrounding Del Villar date back to 2022 when federal authorities accused him and his company of collaborating with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a Guadalajara-based music promoter known as “Chucho.” The U.S. Treasury Department had previously sanctioned Pérez Alvear for allegedly laundering drug money for both CJNG and its affiliated group, Los Cuinis.

Further details were revealed in a 2022 complaint stating that Ortiz was approached by an FBI agent at Phoenix’s airport in April 2018. The agent informed him of Pérez Alvear’s alleged connections to criminal organizations and advised Ortiz against doing business with him. Despite this warning, Ortiz performed at a concert organized by Pérez Alvear on April 28, 2018, with Del Villar’s credit card used to book the flight.

“We were there singing at that event; everyone saw it on YouTube, they saw photos. For the fans who were there that day, it was impossible to say no,” Ortiz explained after his sentencing. “I have nothing more to say.” He acknowledged, “Were there lies? A lot of things have been said, but that’s the truth.”

Prosecutors allege that Del Villar encouraged Ortiz to disregard the FBI’s warning, as he stood to gain financially from the arrangement. Authorities have claimed that Pérez Alvear and Del Villar continued their business relationship, arranging numerous performances for Ortiz across Mexico through 2018 and 2019.

Pérez Alvear promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019, when he was reportedly murdered in a Mexico City restaurant in December 2024.

Before this case, Ortiz and Del Records were embroiled in a feud. The Pasadena native had previously faced legal issues in Mexico for appearing in a music video that depicted the mistress of a drug lord in a provocative situation. Ortiz and Del Villar also exchanged lawsuits in 2019, both alleging fraud and other misconduct. When the FBI raided Del Records’ offices in 2020, a representative claimed agents were only there to seek records related to Ortiz.

This story was reported with contributions from Times reporters Matthew Ormseth, Carlos de Loera, and Brittny Mejia.