The name Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known to the world as “El Mencho,” has long been synonymous with the brutal rise of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). However, following the major news on February 22, 2026, that El Mencho was killed during a high-stakes military operation in Jalisco, the spotlight has shifted.
The world is now asking: what happens to the multi-billion dollar empire he left behind? At the center of this conversation is El Mencho’s daughter, Jessica Johanna Oseguera González. Often referred to as “La Negra,” she is far from a background figure.
Here are 6 serious facts you should know about El Mencho’s daughter and her role in one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet.
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1. She is a Dual U.S.-Mexican Citizen Born in California
One of the most surprising facts about El Mencho’s daughter is her nationality. Jessica Johanna was born in San Francisco, California. This dual citizenship provided her with a level of mobility that most cartel members could only dream of.
While her father was hiding in the mountains of Michoacán and Jalisco, Jessica was able to move across the border, attend schools, and conduct business in the United States. This “legal” status allowed her to act as a bridge between the cartel’s Mexican operations and the global financial system for years before she became a primary target of the DEA.
2. She Holds a Professional Degree in Marketing
Unlike the stereotypical image of a “narco” family member, El Mencho’s daughter is highly educated. She attended a prestigious university in Guadalajara, where she earned a degree in Marketing.
This wasn’t just a vanity degree. Intelligence reports suggest that Jessica used her corporate training to “brand” the cartel’s legitimate-looking front businesses. From upscale sushi restaurants to award-winning tequila brands, she applied modern business principles to ensure the family’s wealth looked clean and sophisticated to the outside world.
3. She Was Arrested While Trying to Visit Her Brother
In 2020, Jessica Johanna made a move that was either incredibly brave or incredibly reckless. She walked into a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., to attend a hearing for her brother, Rubén Oseguera González (known as “El Menchito”).
Despite being a fugitive in the eyes of the U.S. Treasury, she believed her legal status and lack of direct drug-trafficking charges would protect her. She was wrong. DEA agents arrested her on the spot, marking one of the most high-profile takedowns of a “narco-heir” in recent history.
4. Her Legal Troubles Stemmed from the “Kingpin Act”
Interestingly, El Mencho’s daughter was not charged with moving tons of drugs or ordering violence. Instead, her downfall was financial. She was charged with violating the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.
She pleaded guilty in 2021 to managing six specific businesses—including Mizu Sushi Lounge and Onze Black Tequila—that the U.S. government had officially sanctioned as money-laundering fronts for the CJNG. This highlighted a shift in how the U.S. fights cartels: by following the money trail rather than just the drug trail.
5. She Is Currently a Free Woman in 2026
After serving roughly 25 months of a 30-month sentence, Jessica was released from U.S. federal custody in April 2022. Since then, she has maintained an extremely low public profile.
However, following the reported death of her father in February 2026, her name has resurfaced as a “central figure” in the cartel’s current leadership crisis. Because she knows the financial architecture of the CJNG better than almost anyone else, experts believe she is currently working to protect the family’s vast assets from being seized by the Mexican and U.S. governments.
6. She Isn’t the Only “Powerful Daughter” in the Family
While Jessica is the financial mastermind, her sister, Laisha Michelle Oseguera González, represents a different side of the family legacy. In late 2021, Laisha was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of two Mexican Navy members in retaliation for her mother’s arrest. This suggests that while Jessica handles the boardrooms, Laisha may have more influence over the cartel’s operational and enforcement wings.
Succession in 2026: The “Narco Queens”?
With the patriarch El Mencho gone and his son El Menchito serving a life sentence at ADX Florence, the CJNG is at a crossroads. Many analysts are now looking at the possibility of a “matriarchal” shift, where El Mencho’s daughter and his wife, Rosalinda González Valencia, take over the administrative and financial reins of the organization to prevent it from splintering.
| Key Fact | Detail |
| Full Name | Jessica Johanna Oseguera González |
| Education | Bachelor’s in Marketing (Guadalajara) |
| Legal Status | Released (2022), currently under surveillance |
| Known For | Financial management of CJNG assets |
Is El Mencho’s daughter still in prison?
No. Jessica Johanna was released from U.S. custody in April 2022 after serving her sentence for Kingpin Act violations. Her current whereabouts are unknown but she is believed to be in Mexico.
Did El Mencho really die in 2026?
According to the Mexican Defense Ministry, El Mencho (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes) was killed on February 22, 2026, during a military raid in Tapalpa, Jalisco.
What is the Kingpin Act?
It is a U.S. law that allows the government to freeze the assets of and prosecute anyone doing business with entities or individuals identified as significant foreign narcotics traffickers.
Will Jessica Johanna lead the CJNG?
While she is not a military commander, she is a top contender for the “CEO” role of the cartel due to her deep understanding of the group’s multi-billion dollar financial network.
Are there other children?
Yes. Her brother, Rubén (“El Menchito”), is in a U.S. supermax prison, and her younger sister, Laisha Michelle, is also believed to be active within the organization.