A 22-year-old YouTube content creator known as “El Pinky” was found dead in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, on January 10, 2025, after intimidation by the Sinaloa drug cartel. The influencer, whose real name was Agustín Paul, had built a following of 98,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel “Los Plebes de Barrancos” through viral challenges and humorous videos.
Paul’s channel, “Los Plebes de Barrancos,” was known for its viral challenges and entertainment content that attracted viewers across Mexico. His significant online presence had earned him a reputation as a rising social media star in the region.
Hours before his death, leaflets were dropped from aircraft over Culiacán, accusing Paul and other social media personalities of laundering money for La Mayiza, a rival drug gang. The aircraft-dropped leaflets were part of a coordinated campaign. The public display of accusations against social media personalities marked an escalation in cartel intimidation tactics in the region. The threatening leaflets distributed over Culiacán also named other prominent social media figures, including musical artist Peso Pluma and content creator Markitos Toys, indicating a broader intimidation campaign targeting online influencers.
The following day, Paul’s body was discovered. He was found with his hands and feet bound after suffering hours of torture, according to police reports. His body was found with a gunshot wound to the head in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. A disturbing video that later emerged showed Paul being interrogated by alleged cartel members while displaying visible signs of physical abuse. The footage revealed cartel members accusing him of collaborating with rival organizations.
Mexican law enforcement is treating the case as a premeditated murder, with evidence pointing to the involvement of the Sinaloa cartel, a powerful criminal organization formerly led by notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. The cartel has maintained a stronghold over drug trafficking operations in the region since the 1960s.
The killing follows another cartel-linked murder in Sinaloa. YouTuber Miguel “El Jasper” Vivanco was found dead in November 2024. According to his family, cartel hitmen abducted him from his home two nights before his bullet-riddled body was discovered. His murder demonstrated a similar pattern of cartel violence against social media personalities in the region, with both cases involving abduction, torture, and execution-style killings.
The Sinaloa Attorney General’s office has initiated an investigation into Paul’s murder, examining potential connections between his online content and organized crime groups. Investigators are explicitly analyzing his YouTube videos and social media presence for any inadvertent links to cartel activities.
The Sinaloa cartel, known for its sophisticated operation networks, has historically maintained control over key trafficking routes through northwestern Mexico. Recent months have seen increased violence between rival organizations in the region as they compete for territory and influence.
Mexican drug cartels first rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, dominating the production and distribution of the illicit drug trade across the country and beyond its borders. These organizations maintain sophisticated operations, using violence and intimidation to protect their interests and eliminate perceived threats to their authority.
