On August 5, the U.S. State Department announced a reward of up to $25 million for Juan Carlos Valencia González—alias “El 03” or “El Pelón”—the new leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) following the death of his stepfather, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”), who was killed in February 2026.
This figure makes him the Mexican drug trafficker with the highest reward in the program’s history, placing him on par with figures such as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
The announcement is accompanied by criminal charges against five other cartel leaders and a total reward package of up to $102 million distributed among eight fugitives.
“The American people gave us a mandate to keep this country safe, and we will not rest until we fulfill it,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche during a press conference on Wednesday.
