U.S. Treasury Fines Florida’s IMG Academy $1.72 Million for Enrolling Cartel Leaders’ Children

Bradenton, Florida — The U.S. Treasury Department fined the elite IMG Academy $1.72 million for enrolling children of sanctioned Mexican cartel leaders and processing their tuition payments, officials announced.

The Florida-based boarding school, whose alumni include tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and Björn Borg, admitted students whose parents were designated under the Kingpin Act between 2018 and 2022. One parent paid approximately $98,867 per school year, while the other paid between $100,549 and $102,235 in tuition during that period.

“This enforcement action highlights the importance of institutions across a wide variety of sectors, including academic institutions, implementing effective risk-based controls to prevent sanctions violations and keep illicit actors from benefiting in the United States,” the Treasury said in a statement, noting the school’s cooperation.

Authorities said the cartel leaders also covered additional expenses such as housing, tuition adjustments, and other costs during their children’s attendance. Initially, the parents paid through third-party transfers—particularly from unsanctioned individuals—or credit cards. When a student-athlete account had a positive balance at year-end, the school applied it to the next cycle’s charges. Approximately 89 transfers covered tuition and other obligations.

Penalty Assessment

The Treasury said IMG Academy faced a civil penalty of $1.27 million for reporting potential violations after investigations began. According to the release, the institution showed “reckless disregard” for sanctions by failing to verify if the individuals were designated under the Kingpin Act, entering into annual agreements directly with the crime leaders, and enabling them to conduct business transactions in the U.S. and access the national financial system.

The penalty was mitigated because IMG Academy had not received prior violation notices in the five years before the first transaction, took corrective measures upon learning of the apparent breaches, and cooperated with authorities.

The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on nearly 900 Mexican individuals and companies.