IMG Academy, a prominent Florida prep school known for grooming elite athletes, has agreed to pay a $1.72 million fine after federal authorities found it accepted tuition payments linked to a sanctioned Mexican drug cartel, the U.S. Treasury Department announced.
The settlement, disclosed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on Feb. 12, stems from 89 apparent violations of U.S. counternarcotics sanctions between 2018 and 2022. During that period, the academy enrolled two students whose parents were designated as specially designated nationals due to their ties to the cartel, allowing them indirect access to the U.S. financial system through wire transfers from third parties in Mexico.
Tuition for the students ranged from $97,867 to $102,235 per academic year, according to the Treasury Department. IMG Academy, which has produced more than 150 professional athletes in the past decade, did not have a sanctions compliance program in place at the time but has since implemented one and cooperated with the investigation.
“Over five consecutive years, IMG Academy repeatedly transacted with two individuals whom OFAC sanctioned based upon their ties to a sanctioned Mexican-based drug cartel,” the agency said in a statement. The academy voluntarily disclosed the issue upon discovery.
IMG Academy, located in Bradenton, emphasized its commitment to compliance in a statement, saying it has since adopted “a comprehensive sanctions compliance program” and upholds “the highest standards of compliance and integrity.”
The news quickly sparked reactions across social media, with sports fans and commentators expressing shock and sarcasm on X, formerly known as Twitter.
One user posted: “Florida’s IMG Academy hit with $1.7M fine for accepting tuition linked to a Mexican drug cartel. For over five consecutive years, IMG repeatedly transacted with two individuals connected to the cartel 😳”
Another wrote: “IMG Academy was just fined nearly $2,000,000 by the U.S Treasury for accepting 89 different payments from parents who are… …directly linked to the Mexican Drug Cartel”
A third reaction mixed humor with disbelief: “New Best Duos in Sports rankings is here! 1) IMG Academy and the Cartel That’s it. End of list.”
“Whoa… $2 million fine and ties to a cartel? 😳 That’s serious business for IMG Academy,” another user exclaimed.
“IMG Academy, one of the top high schools in the country known for its talented CFB recruits, has been fined $1.7 million by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for links to Mexican drug cartels. For over five years, IMG allegedly worked with two people from the cartel. 😬”
“Between that and IMG academy being involved with the cartel it’s been a wild week in sports and the week just started,” one commenter noted, referencing other recent headlines.
The academy’s identity and sports affiliations for the students involved were not disclosed. No criminal charges have been filed, and the settlement resolves only civil liability.
IMG Academy did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. The Treasury Department described the case as a reminder for educational institutions to screen for sanctions risks.
