Makeup Artist and Businesswoman Sheila Urías Identified by U.S. as “Front Woman” for Los Chapitos

U.S. Treasury sanctions makeup artist Sheila Paola Urías Vázquez, accusing her of acting as a front for Los Chapitos.

WASHINGTON, D.C./MAZATLÁN — In a high-profile move aimed at disrupting the Sinaloa Cartel’s finances, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Sheila Paola Urías Vázquez, a prominent makeup artist and entrepreneur from Mazatlán, labelling her a “front person” for Los Chapitos, the violent faction led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

Urías is alleged to have lent her name and business structures to hide and manage illicit proceeds generated by cartel operations. According to OFAC, she is officially tied to José Raúl Núñez Ríos, alias “El Lic,” who is believed to be financing violent drug trafficking and fentanyl production in Mazatlán via a sprawling corporate network.

📌 The Accusations: Spas, Beach Clubs, and Real Estate Fronts

OFAC has designated at least ten companies under Urías’s name—ranging from beauty salons and spas to real estate development, hospitality, and construction firms. The U.S. sanctions freeze any assets these entities hold within U.S. jurisdiction and bar American individuals from conducting any business with them.

Among the implicated businesses are:

• Carpe Diem Spa
• Sea Wa Beach Club
• Beach y Marina S.A. de C.V.
• Proyecta Interna S.A. de C.V.
• Eco Campestres Ultra S.A.P.I. de C.V.
• MUE Renta y Venta de Vestidos
• Club Playa Real S.A. de C.V., among others.

👁️ From Salon Owner to Sanctioned Entrepreneur

Before her alleged ties to cartel finance, Urías maintained a respected career in beauty and cosmetology. A graduate of Universidad Autónoma de Durango with additional training in California, she built a brand as a professional makeup artist. Her business presence expanded into digital reach, including a YouTube channel and a private Instagram following of over 56,000, where she shared beauty tutorials and entrepreneurial advice.

In September 2024, anonymous flyers were dropped across Sinaloa cities—Culiacán, Mazatlán, and Los Mochis—publicly naming Urías and her husband as alleged cartel facilitators. The flyers accused her of being the visible front in a series of real estate and business ventures tied to money laundering.

💵 Broader Context: U.S. Crackdown on Los Chapitos

The designation of Urías comes amid sweeping sanctions targeting Los Chapitos, recognized by the U.S. government as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group responsible for a surge in fentanyl trafficking. Sanctions also target leaders like Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán, with rewards of up to $10 million each for information leading to their capture.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that undermining the cartel’s financial networks is essential to disrupting the deadly opioid epidemic and diminishing cross-border violence.

🧭 What This Means for Urías and Associated Entities

• Asset Freeze: All U.S.-based property and financial interests linked to Urías and the ten businesses are now immobilized.
• Transaction Ban: U.S. persons and entities are prohibited from engaging in any dealings with her or the designated entities unless granted specific OFAC licenses.
• Global Reach: Foreign banks face potential sanctions if they interact with Urías’s network, complicating international financial dealings for the accused businesses.

🌐 Legal and Social Repercussions

Beyond the financial implications, Urías may encounter enforcement proceedings in Mexico. The revelations spotlight the blurred lines between legitimate business enterprises and organised crime. Local authorities in Sinaloa face increasing pressure to investigate and dismantle front companies concealing cartel wealth.

⚖️ Final Analysis

Sheila Paola Urías Vázquez’s case illustrates a growing strategy by U.S. authorities: targeting cartel money laundering through “civilian” cover layers. By sanctioning individuals like Urías—whose public identity starkly contrasts with secret financial dealings—the U.S. aims to deter the use of legitimate businesses as camouflage for illicit activity.

As the legal and media spotlight falls on Urías and her husband, Mexico’s broader struggle against cartel infiltration into the legitimate economy becomes more urgent—and more visible.

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