ICE agents picked up Chavez Jr due to his expired visa. But there's more to the story. Officials also said he's got ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, which makes him a threat to public safety.
Chavez Jr entered the US in 2023 on a visa that ran out in 2024. He tried to get permanent residence, but that didn't work out. Now, he's facing deportation.
The boxer's got a history of legal troubles. He's been caught driving under the influence twice - once in 2012 and again in January 2024. He's also been convicted of having a weapon he shouldn't have had.
But the cartel connection is what's really raising eyebrows. Chavez Jr's wife, Frida Munoz, used to be with one of Chapo Guzman's sons. Guzman, as most people know, was the big boss of the Sinaloa Cartel.
There's more. Phone calls recorded from December 2021 to June 2022 seem to show Chavez Jr talking about some pretty violent stuff. The authorities think he might have been working with Nestor Ernesto Perez Salas, also known as El Nini, who they say is a big shot in the cartel's security team.
"The evidence suggests Chavez Jr was an active collaborator in intimidation operations, including beating rival group members tied up as punching bags," an ICE spokesperson said.
It's a big fall from grace for Chavez Jr. He came to the US for his fight with Jake Paul, even though he had all these legal issues hanging over his head. Now, he's in ICE custody, labeled as a threat to public safety, and waiting to see if he'll be sent back to Mexico.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE are working together on this case. They're digging deep into Chavez Jr's past and his alleged cartel connections. It's a stark reminder that even famous athletes can't escape the long arm of the law.