The U.S. Department of Justice announced federal charges against five senior members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for their alleged roles in drug trafficking and a sophisticated timeshare fraud scheme that defrauded over 6,000 Americans of more than $400 million.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated during a press conference that the cartel members are charged with a range of crimes, including operating drug networks, orchestrating murders and attempted assassinations, procuring weapons, money laundering, and manufacturing and distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Three of the indicted members are also accused of running the timeshare fraud targeting elderly Americans.
The fraud scheme, which ran from 2019 to 2023, preyed on individuals who owned or aspired to own timeshares in Mexico. The cartel members allegedly promised victims profits from selling or renting their timeshares, but required upfront payments for taxes and fees. Once victims paid, the fraudsters impersonated lawyers and government officials, demanding additional fees under false pretenses, including threats of arrest for allegedly paying a cartel. One victim, an 83-year-old American, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over eight years through multiple iterations of the scam.
FBI Director Kash Patel noted that the operation involved call centers established in Mexico and globally. The funds scammed from seniors were taken through emails, phone calls, text messages, and phishing campaigns. The FBI is working to recover the stolen funds and return them to the victims.
These enforcement actions are part of a broader, multi-agency effort targeting the CJNG, which includes the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the IRS, the State Department, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
DEA Administrator Terry Cole described the CJNG as one of the world's most dangerous and ruthless foreign terrorist organizations, responsible for thousands of American deaths through the distribution of fentanyl. Cole emphasized that the current coordinated actions, which include superseding indictments and rewards totaling over $100 million, are just the beginning of an "Americans First" policy. The DEA has filed over 100 federal indictments against CJNG leaders and associates and is working with international partners for arrests, extraditions, and prosecutions in the United States.
The State Department has partnered with the DOJ to offer up to $100 million in rewards for information leading to the arrest of cartel leaders. The DOJ indicated that these increased enforcement actions have contributed to a 22% reduction in fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S.