US Department of Justice secures guilty plea from sanctioned cartel associate who arranged more than $500,000 in tuition payments through a Florida school despite being barred from the US financial system

Wendy Dalaithy Amaral Arevalo, the former wife and current partner of a Los Cuinis cartel leader, admitted entering contracts with IMG Academy and arranging payments for her child’s attendance after OFAC designated her in 2015. The prosecution follows OFAC’s February 2026 settlement with the school and demonstrates how apparently routine educational payments can expose legitimate institutions to sanctions risks.