$25 million reward offered for U.S.-born leader of powerful cartel — CBS News — Top

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

$25 million reward offered for U.S.-born leader of powerful cartel — CBS News — Top | AIPROPX

The State Department on Wednesday offered a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Carlos Gonz\u00e1lez, or "Pel\u00f3n," scaling up pressure on a U.S. citizen who has emerged as the figurehead of Mexico\u0027s most powerful cartel. The reward was bumped up from $5 million. The Trump administration offered a total of $102 million in rewards for various leaders of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and restricted the visas of family members and business associates of cartel members. The State Department said it was aimed at "crippling the organization\u0027s leadership" while President Trump has ramped up pressure on Mexico and other Latin American nations to carry out his security agenda. CJNG is among eight Mexican cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The group was dealt a blow in February when leader Nemesio Rub\u00e9n Oseguera Cervantes, or "El Mencho," was killed by the Mexican military. The U.S. provided intelligence for the operation, which resulted in a burst in violence in the state of Jalisco.\u00a0 Gonz\u00e1lez, Oseguera Cervantes\u0027 stepson and a dual Mexican and U.S. citizen, is reported to have taken control of the cartel, which is involved in everything from avocado production to drug smuggling. According to the State Department, Gonz\u00e1lez was born in Santa Ana, California, on Sept. 12, 1984.The reward offers also include up to $15 million for Audias Flores Silva, a.k.a. "El Jardinero" ("The Gardener"); up to $15 million each for Gonzalo Mendoza Gayt\u00e1n, a.k.a. "Sapo," and Oseguera Cervantes\u0027 son-in-law, Julio Alberto Castillo Rodr\u00edguez, a.k.a. "Chorro"; up to $10 million each for Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, a.k.a. "Tripa," Julio C\u00e9sar Montero Pinz\u00f3n, a.k.a. "El Tarjetas," and Carlos Andr\u00e9s Rivera Varela, a.k.a. "La Firma"; and up to $2 million for Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinz\u00f3n.\u00a0Wednesday\u0027s move comes a few weeks after the Trump administration slapped sanctions on 50 people and companies linked with the cartel, including Gonz\u00e1lez. The sanctions froze assets and blocked U.S. financial transactions with those cited. The cartel is considered the largest in Mexico, with a presence in 21 of its 32 states. Its operations have extended to several countries, including the U.S. "The United States is hunting down, dismantling, and destroying C\u00e1rtel de Jalisco Nueva Generaci\u00f3n," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement Wednesday.The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on the government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to crack down more heavily on cartels, even threatening military action against the groups.In June, the U.S. Treasury announced a\u00a0new bank alert\u00a0targeting the cartel. Treasury\u0027s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on two men and nine companies involved in transportation, financial services and real estate, accused of being tied to a cartel-linked\u00a0fuel theft ring\u00a0intended to evade Mexican taxes while generating tens of millions of dollars annually for the cartel.