Mexican cartels are increasingly targeting social media influencers, drawing them into gang wars and leading to brutal public executions. These online celebrities often promote or praise individual cartels in pursuit of fame and followers, inadvertently making themselves targets.
Experts note a rise in such killings, particularly in regions with high cartel activity like Sinaloa, Jalisco, and Mexico City. At least nine influencers have been killed in Sinaloa alone since 2024. By aligning with specific factions, social media stars significantly increase their risk of becoming victims.
Recent incidents highlight the deadly consequences. In Sinaloa, influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot and killed while livestreaming comedy stunts outside a fast-food restaurant. The attack was carried out by two masked men on a motorcycle, with one shooting Gastelum in the head.
Last May, 23-year-old Valeria Marquez was fatally shot while live-streaming from her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco. Federal prosecutors accused Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, also known as 'R1', of ordering the hit, allegedly at the request of his son Francisco, with whom Marquez had a prior relationship.
Other influencers who have met similar fates include Kevin Kaletry, shot while filming in a Mexico City hotel, and José Carlos González Herrera, killed during a livestream in a market. These killings are often carried out publicly and with extreme brutality, serving as a stark message to others.
Criminal organizations leverage popular social media figures to launder money, spread propaganda, and recruit new members. In return, influencers gain notoriety and access to insights into the drug trade. The initial contact often comes through musicians, club owners, promoters, or associates connected to cartels, who may offer money or protection in exchange for favorable content.
Chris Dalby, a senior analyst at Dyami Security Intelligence, explained that influencers can provide cover for cartel operations through legitimate-seeming businesses such as beauty salons, clothing brands, or music labels. They can inflate earnings from sponsorships or appearance fees to disguise illicit funds, or use income streams like YouTube advertising and licensing deals to obscure criminal proceeds.
However, the close association with cartels poses a significant risk. Aligning with one faction can antagonize rivals, turning a popular figure into a target. Camilo Ochoa, a former Sinaloa Cartel boss who became a YouTuber, was killed in 2025. Markitos Toys, an influencer with millions of followers, openly displays his relationship with the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Toys' brother, Gail Castro, a YouTuber, was shot multiple times outside an upscale hotel in Baja California and had been accused of laundering money for a Sinaloa faction. Others connected to Castro have also faced violence or threats.
The final moments of 22-year-old Agustin Paul, known as 'El Pinky', were captured on video, showing him battered and explaining he was targeted for passing information about the location of rivals to a cartel leader's son. His body was later found bound and gagged, a method reminiscent of how cartels deal with journalists and informants.
This tactic mirrors the long-standing practice of silencing those who document cartel activities. In the past two decades, nearly 200 journalists have been killed in Mexico, and numerous musicians known for performing narcocorridos, songs glorifying drug lords, have also been murdered.
Many influencers operating in cartel-dominated areas grew up immersed in a culture that often glorifies the lavish lifestyles associated with organized crime. Pop culture in Mexico, through music, fashion, films, and television, has historically contributed to this glamorization.
In the case of Cesar Gastelum, the livestream of his killing was eventually removed by TikTok, though other footage circulated. Initial police reports misidentified him as a delivery worker due to his attire, but he was later confirmed to be the influencer. The attack occurred in a busy shopping plaza near the Sinaloa prosecutor's office.
Gastelum had recently posted photos in front of the grave of another influencer, Leobardo Aispuro ('El Gordo Peruci'), who was killed in 2024 amid a suspected rivalry between Sinaloa Cartel factions. Before his death, Gastelum had also alluded to spending time with Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Sinaloa Cartel has experienced internal fractures since Zambada's extradition to the U.S. in 2024, leading to violent power struggles between factions like the Mayiza and Los Chapitos.
Despite an overall decrease in reported homicides nationwide, narcoviolence remains a significant issue, particularly in Sinaloa. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has faced criticism, especially from the United States, for her administration's efforts to control violence. Following Gastelum's death, Sheinbaum stated that her cabinet discussed the incident and pledged to apprehend those responsible, emphasizing the need to uncover the motive behind the killing.