Anaheim-Born ‘Mayito Flaco’ Among 21 Sanctioned: Treasury Says Los Mayos Hired Hitmen in Southern California and Bought Protection in Tijuana and Mexicali — Reaching the Baja Governor’s Ex-Husband
The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned 21 people and 25 companies tied to Los Mayos, the Sinaloa Cartel faction led by Anaheim, California-born Ismael “Mayito Flaco” Zambada Sicairos, accusing the network of hiring hitmen to kill rivals in Southern California and of corrupting officials in Baja California, across the border in Tijuana and Mexicali, according to Treasury material first reported by Fox News on Sept. 29, 2026.
The U.S.-born boss and the California connection
Treasury calls Mayito Flaco, 44, the “undisputed head” of Los Mayos since the July 2024 arrest of his father, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, Fox News reported. He was born in Anaheim in 1982, later filed a U.S. name change to Fernando Sicairos Aispuro, and was indicted in California in 2014 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges; he remains a fugitive in Mexico, according to Treasury.
Treasury alleges that network associate Lorenzo Castillo Maldonado hired hitmen, on Mayito Flaco’s orders, to kill rival cartel members in Southern California, and that another part of the network worked with complicit Southern California money exchanges to collect bulk cash from U.S. drug sales and move it to Mexico. The sanctions aim in part at Los Mayos’ control of the Tijuana and Mexicali “plazas,” which Treasury says are used to move fentanyl into the U.S.
Baja California officials named
Treasury says Sinaloa-linked “narco-corruption has reached the highest levels” of Baja California’s government. It alleges Carlos Torres Torres, ex-husband of Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, used his political influence to protect cartel operations, and says the State Department revoked his U.S. visa in May 2025 over his “cartel affiliation.” The governor’s visa was also revoked around then; U.S. officials have not said why, Fox News reported. The governor is not listed among the targets in Fox’s account.
Also sanctioned: Torres’ brother, Luis Alfonso Torres Torres, accused of collecting bribes and laundering money through companies and political campaigns, and former Mexicali public security director Pedro Ariel Mendívil García, accused of taking bribes from Los Rusos leader Juan José Ponce Félix, “El Ruso,” to let the cartel control municipal police. In January, Proceso reported that Mexico’s federal prosecutors were investigating Carlos Torres; he called the accusation an anonymous complaint, said he had “nothing to hide” and denied wrongdoing.
“No cartel kingpin, corrupt Mexican government official, or financial facilitator is beyond the reach of Treasury’s authorities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
What the sanctions do
The designations block property under U.S. jurisdiction and generally bar Americans from doing business with the targets; foreign banks that knowingly handle significant transactions for them could also face sanctions. Sanctions are not criminal charges or convictions.
Sources
- Fox News (Morgan Phillips): “Drug cartel kingpin among targets in sweeping Trump crackdown on alleged Mexican corruption network” (Sept. 29, 2026)
- Proceso: “Carlos Torres, exesposo de la gobernadora Marina del Pilar, confirma que lo investiga la FGR” (Jan. 21, 2026)
- Photos: U.S. Department of the Treasury, via Fox News (public domain).
Reported Sept. 29, 2026, from the sources above. All allegations are Treasury’s; none of those named has been convicted in connection with them, and the full Treasury release was not yet posted on treasury.gov when this was written. No response from the Baja California government or those sanctioned was available.