Date: June 14, 2022 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov FBI agents today arrested two music business executives – including the CEO of a Latin music conglomerate – who are charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by conducting business with a Guadalajara-based concert promoter with ties to Mexican drug cartels. Angel Del Villar, of Huntington Beach, the CEO of Del Records and its subsidiary talent agency Del Entertainment; and Luca Scalisi, of West Hollywood, the chief financial officer of Del Entertainment, were arrested this morning. Both men made their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Del Villar was ordered released on $100,000 bond and Scalisi was ordered released on $35,000 bond. Their arraignments have been scheduled for July 20. Del Villar and Scalisi are named in a criminal complaint that accuses them of conspiracy to transact in property of specially designated narcotics traffickers in violation of the Kingpin Act. A third defendant named in the complaint – Jesus Perez Alvear, of Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, a music promoter who controls Gallistica Diamante, a.k.a. Ticket Premier – is believed to be in Mexico. Perez, who promoted concerts in Mexico for Del Entertainment until March 2019, 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. The complaint alleges that on April 19, 2018, FBI agents approached a well-known musician, referred to in the complaint as Individual A, and 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. On April 28, 2018, Individual A performed at a music concert which Perez organized. Del Villar's credit card was used to pay for a private jet that brought the musician from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, Mexico, according to the complaint. On four additional occasions in 2018 and 2019, Individual A performed at concerts in Mexico – specifically in Mexicali, Salamanca, Chiapas and San Jose Iturbide – all of which Perez promoted. Individual A acted at the direction or with the knowledge of Del Villar, Scalisi and Perez. A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If they were to be convicted of violating the Kingpin Act, Del Villar and Scalisi would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Perez would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The current whereabouts of Perez are unknown, but he is believed to be residing in Mexico. Anyone with information about Perez is encouraged to contact the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565. IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating this matter. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control provided significant assistance in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Benedetto Balding of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
