US Targets Mexican Narcoinfluencers in Money Laundering Crackdown

WASHINGTON D.C. — The United States government has intensified its surveillance of so-called "narcoinfluencers" in Mexico, accusing them of operating as propagandists and money launderers for various drug cartels. These individuals, with a significant presence on social media, are alleged to be using their digital reach to launder resources and shape narratives in favor of criminal groups.

A definitive signal of this crackdown occurred on August 6, when the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury sanctioned rapper and influencer Ricardo Hernández Medrano, known as El Makabelico, for using concerts and royalties from his streaming platforms to launder money on behalf of the Northeast Cartel, an organization categorized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the administration of Donald Trump.

The phenomenon gained relevance following the appearance of flyers in Culiacán containing a list of 25 influencers allegedly linked to organized crime, six of whom have been murdered. According to a source from the Department of Justice, profiles have already been identified for the application of financial sanctions and account freezes.

The DEA has warned that social networks and encrypted applications are used by cartels to advertise, sell, recruit, train, and coordinate operations without direct contact. In this scheme, influencers become key pieces for infiltrating content, normalizing behaviors, and attracting new members.

One of the described methods consists of injecting illicit money to inflate accounts with bots and click farms, monetizing through platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, and then returning the profits while feigning legality.

In Mexico, the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) maintains open investigations into a group of 64 influencers in Sinaloa for alleged money laundering, among them content creator Markitos Toys, who has denied the accusations and reduced his presence on social networks.

Although experts consider the volume of money laundered through this channel to be smaller compared to other mechanisms, the propaganda function of these influencers is considered highly strategic. They mold public perception, legitimize criminal figures, and offer a narrative that minimizes or justifies violence.

In contexts such as Sinaloa, cartels use digital aesthetics, "corridos" (ballads), and aspirational content to gain direct influence among young people, while obtaining operational benefits such as disinformation, discrediting rivals, or generating distractions for authorities.

For Washington, narcoinfluencers represent a threat on two fronts: illicit finance and symbolic legitimacy. OFAC and other agencies such as the DEA and HSI are working in coordination to cut off income sources and neutralize these digital "megaphones" of crime.

In 2025, the violence against these content creators has reflected the importance they hold within the criminal propaganda apparatus. Flyers marked with the "eliminated" stamp, allegedly signed by the faction of "El Mayo," seek to silence influencers affiliated with "Los Chapitos" through threats, self-censorship, or even murder.