Mexican woman pleads guilty in US to breaching narcotics sanctions

31 July 2026

A US-sanctioned Mexican national has pleaded guilty to breaching the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Act by engaging in transactions and dealings in property in the US. Wendy Dalaithy Amaral Arevalo was designated in 2015 for assisting the international narcotics trafficking activities of Los Cuinis, a sanctioned drug cartel aligned with the CJNG.

Her designation prohibited her from engaging in transactions or dealings within the US financial system. Despite this, Ms Amaral entered into contracts with IMG Academy, a preparatory school and athletic training facility in Florida, for her child to attend the school and arranged for $504,497.48 in tuition payments. This breached the Kingpin Act – see our US narcotics page for more information on the legislation.

IMG Academy agreed to pay a $1.7m settlement to OFAC for dealing in the property or interests in property of US-sanctioned people on 172 occasions, including Ms Amaral.