WASHINGTON, D.C. — The US State Department announced rewards totaling up to $102 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of eight leaders of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The department stated the rewards were aimed at "crippling the organization’s leadership" and would "complement" newly unsealed criminal charges against five alleged high-ranking members of the cartel.

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche described the new bounties as "a continuation of our efforts to eliminate cartels that have plagued" the US for "far too long." Blanche stated, "Narco-terrorist organisations like the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generation are responsible for countless deaths to Americans." He added, "These sophisticated organisations use violence and fear to maintain control over the importation of deadly narcotics in the United States, including fentanyl, cocaine, meth and other illegal drugs." Blanche said, "Their actions spread violence and death to our communities."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "The United States is hunting down, dismantling, and destroying Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación." The announcement included specific reward tiers for individual suspects. Rewards of up to $15 million were offered for Audias Flores Silva, also known as "El Jardinero", Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán, also known as "Sapo, and Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez, also known as Chorro. Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez is the son-in-law of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes."

Rewards of up to $10 million were offered for Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, also known as Tripa, Julio César Montero Pinzón, also known as El Tarjetas, and Carlos Andrés Rivera Varela, also known as La Firma". A reward of up to $2 million was offered for Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzón. The US State Department and Justice Department also announced visa restrictions on 65 individuals accused of business or family ties with cartel members."

Juan Carlos Gonzalez is believed to have taken control of the CJNG after the death of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes. Gonzalez is a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. He was born in Santa Ana, California, on September 12, 1984. Gonzalez is the stepson of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho".

Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes was killed in February 2026. The Mexican military killed him in Talpapa, Jalisco. At least 73 people died during the raid in Talpapa, Jalisco, including cartel members and security forces.

The US provided intelligence for the operation that killed Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes. The U.S. government had previously offered rewards of up to US$15 million for information leading to the arrest of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes. The Mexican government offered rewards of up to MXN$300 million for information leading to his arrest.

The CJNG is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US government. At least eight Mexican criminal networks are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US government. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel del Noreste are also designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US government.

The CJNG is considered by the Department of Justice to be one of the five most dangerous transnational organizations in the world. The cartel operates in 21 of Mexico’s 32 states and is involved in avocado production and drug smuggling. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel was established in 2009.

President Donald Trump stated, "The cartels are running Mexico. We can’t have that." He added, "We have to eradicate them." Trump pledged to "do whatever’s necessary to defend our national security." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that any foreign military action on Mexican soil must be approved by the federal government or it will be considered a violation of Mexican sovereignty.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned over 50 Mexican individuals and entities linked to CJNG. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control coordinated this action with the Government of Mexico’s financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on two men and nine companies in June 2026.

Why It Matters

The $25 million reward for Juan Carlos Gonzalez, a U.S.-born dual citizen now leading the CJNG, marks a significant escalation in targeting leadership with American ties. This bounty, increased from $5 million, complements visa restrictions and sanctions aimed at dismantling a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The measures reflect a coordinated strategy to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks that officials state spread violence and deadly drugs into U.S. communities.