Who Is Gamaliel Garza García? The Horseman the U.S. Says Is a Cártel del Noreste Associate Won at Los Alamitos, California, 10 Days Before Sanctions — and His Firm Got 110 Million Pesos in Nuevo León Contracts
Gamaliel Garza García is the Nuevo Laredo businessman and quarter-horse owner whom the U.S. Treasury sanctioned on Oct. 13, 2026, calling him an associate of the Cártel del Noreste (CDN). Mexican reporting since then adds two things. Horses registered to him have kept winning in the U.S., including at Los Alamitos, California, 10 days before the sanctions, Infobae reported Oct. 14. And a Nuevo León state agency paid his construction firm about 110 million pesos in contracts, according to Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI).
What Treasury says about him and his son
Treasury calls Garza García a “horse racing enthusiast” who races “at some of the most prestigious tracks in California and New Mexico.” It says his horses run often at Club La Molienda, the Nuevo Laredo track it says the CDN controls. Treasury says his firm, Construcciones y Edificaciones Garza Elías (CEGESA), was used by the CDN “to funnel money” to its preferred candidates and “corruptly obtained government contracts,” then subcontracted the work to CDN-linked people. His son, Gamaliel Garza Elías, runs CEGESA day to day and “delivered cash to fund election campaigns,” Treasury says.
The U.S. race wins
Infobae said it reviewed the Horse Racing Nation registry. It found horses with Garza García listed as owner won about $66,000 in at least nine races from 2024 to 2026. One was Midnight Rambler, which Infobae said won $6,000 at Los Alamitos on Oct. 3. Infobae noted the registry does not show whether he personally collected the money.
The contracts — and a denial
MCCI found three contracts that CODEFRONT, Nuevo León’s border development agency under Gov. Samuel García, signed with CEGESA in 2022 and 2023, La Silla Rota reported. Together they were worth about 110 million pesos and covered work at the Colombia–Laredo International Bridge port in Anáhuac. Milenio counted 134.3 million pesos in nine contracts from July 2022 to April 2025 with CEGESA and its sister firm COPASA. That total includes contracts from Anáhuac and Nuevo Laredo. No response from Nuevo León’s government was reported.
Treasury also says CEGESA won Tamaulipas contracts. Tamaulipas’ government says none of the 15 people and firms it named has had a contract with the state since Oct. 1, 2022, Proceso reported. The state has barred new contracts with them. Mexico has frozen the accounts of all 15. No response from Garza García or his companies has been reported.
Milenio’s video report on the contracts:
For border travelers, see our Nuevo Laredo–Laredo safety guide.
Sources
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, “Treasury Targets Cartel del Noreste’s Horse Racing Enterprise and Expansive Criminal Network,” Oct. 13, 2026
- Infobae México, “Quiénes son los Gamaliel Garza…,” Oct. 14, 2026
- La Silla Rota, “Samuel García dio contratos por 110 mdp a empresa sancionada…: MCCI,” Oct. 13, 2026
- Milenio, “Gobiernos del noreste contrataron 134 mdp a empresas sancionadas OFAC,” Oct. 13, 2026
- Proceso, “Tamaulipas niega contratos con las 11 empresas y cuatro personas sancionadas por la OFAC,” Oct. 13, 2026
- Photos: U.S. Department of the Treasury, from the same press release (public domain)
Reported Oct. 14, 2026, from the release and outlets above. Treasury’s descriptions are U.S. government allegations, not court findings. Sanctions and account freezes are not criminal charges, and neither Garza García nor his son has been charged or convicted in connection with this action. Contract and race figures are as reported by each outlet and were not independently verified.