in parallel with the HSTF, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as well as assistance from the U.S. Department of War, including U.S. Northern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel.
The action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059, which targets the international proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended by E.O. 13886 (collectively, “E.O.13224, as amended”), which targets terrorists and their supporters.
MAYITO FLACO – LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
The July 2024 arrest of Ismael Zambada Garcia (a.k.a. “El Mayo”), a notorious drug trafficker and one of the co-founders of the Sinaloa Cartel, set off an internal power struggle within the cartel and its two main OFAC-designated factions: Los Mayos and Los Chapitos. Violence between the two factions erupted throughout Sinaloa and other Mexican states as the groups battled for territory and brokered alliances to win influence. Presently, Los Mayos and Los Chapitos remain deadlocked in a costly civil war that has required both factions to reconstitute and rely on new leadership to take charge.
Dual Mexican-U.S. national Ismael Zambada Sicairos (a.k.a. “Mayito Flaco”) has risen to fill the leadership void left by his father’s arrest and is now the undisputed head of Los Mayos.
Mayito Flaco was born in Anaheim, California in 1982. Despite attempts to obfuscate his cartel bloodlines by filing a U.S. name change to Fernando Sicairos Aispuro in 2001, Mayito Flaco has remained a key figure in the Sinaloa Cartel operations for the last two decades under his father’s tutelage. A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California (SDCA) indicted Mayito
Flaco in July 2014 alongside other high-profile Sinaloa Cartel leaders on a variety of drug trafficking and money laundering charges. While some of his family members have been
brought to justice, Mayito Flaco remains a fugitive in Mexico. Today, Mayito Flaco retains command and control over Los Mayos and is responsible for directing the group’s criminal activities, including drug trafficking, murder, extortion, corruption, and kidnapping.
OFAC is designating Mayito Flaco pursuant to E.O. 14059 and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Sinaloa Cartel.
THE CARTEL CÚPULA
Mayito Flaco relies on a group of trusted individuals to provide counsel and essential support to his operations. Hildegardo Gastelum Garcia (a.k.a. “Aldo”) is one of Mayito Flaco’s most trusted advisors, as well as a significant narcotics trafficker, and the owner of a Culiacan-based hotel business who uses his illicit revenue streams to finance Los Mayos’ war against the Chapitos. Brothers Jorge Luis Mendoza Uriarte (a.k.a. “Guero Chompas”) and Francisco Javier Mendoza Uriarte (Francisco) are also close associates of Mayito Flaco. Guero Chompas and Francisco had previously worked for El Mayo; Guero Chompas controlled territory in Baja California as a cell leader and Francisco served as a secretary to El Mayo. Following El Mayo’s arrest, the brothers aligned with Mayito Flaco, and Guero Chompas is now the head of security for Los Mayos. Lorenzo Castillo Maldonado (Castillo) works directly for Guero Chompas and provides protection for Mayito Flaco. Castillo was serving a life sentence in Mexican prison when Sinaloa Cartel-linked individuals bribed Mexican officials to secure his release. Castillo relies on a network of criminal gangs to obtain hitmen, traffick drugs, andlaunder money for the Sinaloa Cartel. Operating on Mayito Flaco’s orders, Castillo has hired hitmen to kill rival cartel members in southern California.
OFAC is designating Aldo, Guero Chompas, Francisco, and Castillo pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Additionally, OFAC is designating Servicios Hoteleros Gastelum, S.A. de C.V. pursuant to
E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Aldo.
LOS LUGARTENIENTES – THE PLAZA BOSSES
One of the most crucial elements of Mayito Flaco’s drug trafficking organization is his control of key drug trafficking routes to the United States in the border regions of Baja California, specifically the areas around Tijuana and Mexicali. Los Mayos manage this strategic territory through a network of senior cartel leaders known as plaza bosses who are in charge of all cartel activity in their area of responsibility. The Tijuana plaza is controlled by previously sanctioned brothers Alfonso Arzate Garcia (a.k.a. “Aquiles”) and Rene Arzate Garcia (a.k.a. “La Rana”) who OFAC previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14059 on August 9, 2023.
Aquiles and La Rana have jointly controlled the Tijuana plaza for the last decade and a half by using violence, strategic alliances, and deep local influence-including political and police corruption-to retain authority over their territory. A federal grand jury in SDCA indicted Aquiles and La Rana on drug trafficking and money laundering charges in July 2014. However, in February 2026, the Department of Justice and State Department Narcotics Rewards Programs (NRP) announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment against La Rana on narcoterrorism charges and up to $5 million rewards each for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Aquiles and La Rana. Today, OFAC is re-designating La Rana and Aquiles pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Additionally, Treasury is targeting the support network of Aquiles and La Rana that has enabled them to maintain their hold on Tijuana-including their three principal lieutenants: Pedro Humberto Martinez Rodriguez (a.k.a. “Gordo Flubber”), Jesus Rafael Yocupicio Yocupicio (a.k.a. “El Cabezon”), and Franklin Ernesto Huezo Hernandez (a.k.a. “El Ranchero”). Gordo Flubber, El Cabezon, and El Ranchero are responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of La Rana as well as managing the production and transportation of dangerous narcotics, including fentanyl, through Tijuana and into the United States.
Gordo Flubber’s romantic partner, Ilia Elizabeth Felix Rivera (Felix), is also a financial facilitator for Los Mayos. Felix uses her Tijuana-based money exchange Galerias Centro Cambiario, S.A. de C.V. (a.k.a. “Magic Casa de Cambio”) to work with complicit money exchanges in southern California to collect bulk cash narcotics proceeds from the United States, conduct mirror transactions, and transfer the funds back to Mexico, thus laundering the funds for Gordo Flubber and La Rana. Magic Casa de Cambio has a long history of ties to the Sinaloa Cartel; the money exchange’s previous owner and Felix’s former husband, Omar Guadalupe Ayon Diaz (Ayon), was arrested for laundering over $45 million through casas de cambio for the Sinaloa Cartel. Ayon was murdered in Tijuana in October 2023 on Gordo Flubber’s orders.
OFAC is designating Gordo Flubber, El Cabezon, El Ranchero, and Felix pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Magic Casa de Cambio is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Felix.
LOS OPERADORES – THE CARTEL AND TIJUANA’S POWER CIRCLES
On September 18, 2025, OFAC designated Jesus Gonzalez Lomeli (Gonzalez), a high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel money launderer and associate of La Rana. Marco Antonio Moreno Gomez Santelices (Moreno) and Carlos Villela Gomez Santelices (Villela) are Tijuana-based associates of Gonzalez with a network of security, real estate, and entertainment companies that also launder money for the Sinaloa Cartel and La Rana. Other Gonzalez associates designated today include Jeronimo Javier Vera Ayala (Jeronimo Vera) and Jorge Mario Vera Ayala (Jorge Vera). Jeronimo Vera is a business partner of Gonzalez who is involved in drug trafficking and money laundering through their business ventures together. Jorge Vera works with multiple cartels trafficking narcotics; he is a central figure and liaison for all cartel activity in Tijuana. Jorge Vera is also known to have laundered money for the Sinaloa Cartel.
OFAC is designating Moreno, Villela, Jeronimo Vera, and Jorge Vera pursuant to E.O. 14059, for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, the Sinaloa Cartel. Moreno, Villela, Jeronimo Vera, and Jorge Vera are also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Additionally, OFAC is sanctioning other businesses in this network.
Baja Fixer Group, S.A. de C.V.; Inteliproof Efficient, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Private Equity Baja, S.A.P.I. de C.V.; Private Equity Bursatil, S.A. de C.V.; Festivales Artistas Mobiliario Asesoria, S.A. de C.V.; Conciertos y Espectaculos Inhouse, S.A.P.I. de C.V.; Wermak Publired, S.A. de C.V.; Holistic Wellwaves, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Proyecto Alerta Verde, S.A.P.I. de C.V.; and Videovigilancia Colabirativa, S.A.P.I. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Moreno.
Xolo Gas de Baja California, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Lthings Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Codesuam, S. de R.L. de C.V.; and Grupo Baja Firme, S.A. de C.V. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Jeronimo Vera.
NARCO-CORRUPTION TAKES HOLD IN THE CAPITAL
Approximately 90 miles east of Tijuana lies another strategic border city and the state capital of Baja California: Mexicali. The Mexicali plaza is currently dominated by Los Rusos, a Sinaloa Cartel Los Mayos sub-faction commanded by Juan Jose Ponce Felix (a.k.a. Jesus Alexandro Sanchez Felix, commonly known as “El Ruso”). El Ruso maintains control of Mexicali and the
surrounding areas through extreme violence and corruption of state government officials who protect the group’s criminal activities from law enforcement intervention and other disruption. This Sinaloa Cartel-enabled narco-corruption has reached the highest levels of the Baja California state government.
At the center of this narco-corruption scheme is the ex-husband of the Governor of Baja California, Carlos Alberto Torres Torres (Carlos Torres) and his brother Luis Alfonso Torres Torres (Luis Torres). Carlos Torres is a cartel-linked political operator who has an alliance with El Ruso. Carlos Torres uses his political influence to facilitate cartel activities and protect the Sinaloa Cartel from government and law enforcement intervention in Baja California. The U.S. Department of State revoked Carlos Torres’s U.S. visa in May 2025 due to his cartel affiliation and work on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. The former Mexicali Director of Public Security, Pedro Ariel Mendivil Garcia (Mendivil), also has an alliance with El Ruso. Mendivil received bribes from El Ruso in exchange for Sinaloa Cartel control of the Mexicali municipal police to facilitate drug trafficking and carry out cartel enforcement operations. Carlos Torres also reportedly received monthly payments from Mendivil to allow the Sinaloa Cartel to operate with relative impunity in the state. Luis Torres was responsible for taking these bribes and laundering the illicit funds through companies and political campaigns.
Originally from Mexicali, Rafael Buenrostro Martin (Buenrostro) is a former Mexican government official who served as a customs official in Chihuahua and as a legislative advisor to the Baja California state government. Buenrostro is an acquaintance of Carlos Torres and close friend of senior Sinaloa Cartel leader Jose Angel Rivera Zazueta (Rivera Zazueta). Buenrostro provided political favors and influence to further Rivera Zazueta’s criminal enterprise in exchange for bribes. On January 30, 2023, Rivera Zazueta was designated pursuant to E.O. 14059. Today, OFAC is re-designating Rivera Zazueta pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Sinaloa Cartel. Rivera Zazueta owns a money exchange in Mexicali, Mia Centro Cambiario, S.A. de C.V. (Mia), which he uses to launder money for the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as a transportation company, Rivos Servicios, S.A. de C.V. (Rivos).
OFAC is designating Mia and Rivos pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Rivera Zazueta.
OFAC is also targeting another important associate of Rivera Zazueta. Diosvany Samuel Chapotin Villalba (Chapotin) is involved in trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and other narcotics and is a significant money launderer. Chapotin uses various schemes to launder funds including business bank accounts in the U.S. to deposit bulk cash drug proceeds as well as cryptocurrency transactions to ultimately transfer the illicit funds back to Mexico. Chapotin worked with Rivera Zazueta and other Sinaloa Cartel-linked individuals to launder drug proceeds.
Carlos Torres, Luis Torres, Mendivil, Buenrostro, and Chapotin are being designated pursuant to
E.O. 14059, for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, the Sinaloa Cartel. Carlos Torres, Luis Torres, Mendivil, Buenrostro, and Chapotin are also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Vida Organica Tijuana, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Edifika Desarrollos Baja, S. de R.L. de C.V.; The Woods Bar, S. de R.L. de C.V.; Raes Restaurante, S. de R.L. de C.V.; and Distribuidora y Comercializadora ATAF are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Luis Torres.
OFAC is designating Grupo Gasolinero Nueva Esperanza, S. de R.L. de C.V. pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mendivil.
Finally, OFAC is designating Publicidad E Imagen Integral ENLA-C, S. de R.L. de C.V. pursuant to E.O. 14059, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Buenrostro.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. Individuals located in the United States or abroad who provide information about sanctions violations to Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s whistleblower incentive program may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.