Rafael Marquez RECIFE, BRAZIL – JUNE 23: Rafael Marquez of Mexico celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group A match between Croatia and Mexico at Arena Pernambuco on June 23, 2014 in Recife, Brazil. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Mexican soccer legend Rafael Marquez Alvarez has been sanctioned by the United States Treasury for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization. The sanctions are tied to a multi-year investigation into kingpin Raul Flores Hernandez’s drug operation.

In a statement, the Treasury identified Marquez as a front man who was part of Flores Hernandez’s money-laundering network:

Today’s OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) designations also include Mexican professional soccer player, Rafael Marquez Alvarez (Rafa Marquez), and Mexican singer Julio Cesar Alvarez Montelongo (Julion Alvarez).  Both men have longstanding relationships with Flores Hernandez, and have acted as front persons for him and his DTO and held assets on their behalf. Also designated today are Mauricio Heredia Horner and Marco Antonio Fregoso Gonzalez for acting for or on behalf of Rafa Marquez.  

The 38-year-old Marquez is captain of the Mexican national team and also plays for Mexican club Atlas. He led Mexico’s national team to four World Cups. Only two players have ever played in five.

The Associated Press reached out to Marquez’s agent, Enrique Nieto, but did not receive a comment. AP reported Marquez did not practice with Atlas on Wednesday. Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said Flores Hernandez’s long-standing position in the drug trade, reportedly since the 1980s, means that Marquez likely would have known who he was dealing with when laundering money:

Vigil said Flores Hernandez had a real talent for laundering drug proceeds by setting up front companies. He said it would be difficult to imagine Marquez didn’t know who he was dealing with because Flores Hernandez has been around for so long.

Drug traffickers have long been interested in soccer stars and musicians, Vigil said.

While the Treasury’s statement did not say Marquez will face any charges in the U.S., the ruling states all of Marquez’s assets under U.S. jurisdiction or in control of people in the U.S. will be frozen.

[Associated Press]

About Jesse Kramer

Jesse is a writer and editor for The Comeback. He has also worked for SI.com and runs The Catch and Shoot, a college basketball website based in Chicago. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow Jesse on Twitter @Jesse_Kramer.