Joan Sebastian died in 2015, but his name has emerged after he was called out of sexually exploited girls. In a column from El Universal, underage girls recall their awful experience in a human trafficking ring where they say "El Rey Del Jaripeo" was one of the clients. According to their testimony they said: "Joan Sebastian told the girls that they were his princesses and that he would take care of them like their father." She also added that Joan would gift them shoes and jewelry in gold.

Another girl remembered that they were once taken to a ranch and they later found out it was Joan Sebastian's place. According to their testimony it was the singer that chose the girls that would attend the party with most of them being underage. According to the witness, Joan allegedly called the girls "the merchandise" and even saw drug lord known as "La Barbie" at the ranch.

Joan Sebastian died in July 2015 after battling cancer at the age of 64. It was in early 2014, when the singer revealed that he was battling cancer for the fourth time during his performances in Zacatecas. The "Secreto de Amor" hitmaker told morning show "Hoy" that he had undergone chemotherapy prior to his presentations and still went through with the show. "We booked these dates two months ago, I didn't know that I would need chemotherapy again," he said at the time. "I am very conscious that this is something I have to deal with and I have fortunately been able to pull through." The "King Of Jaripeo" had difficulties going up the stairs and remained seated during his number, which he acknowledged to reporters saying, "I felt weak on stage."

Despite falling ill, Sebastian was hopeful of returning to the stage. "The love and claps from the audience is what keeps me going, I will not be retiring," he said. "I am very aware of the chemotherapy experience." In 1999 Joan Sebastian was diagnosed with cancer in the bones and it came back in 2007 and 2012. In February 2014 the "Lobo Domesticado" singer said he was retiring from the "jaripeos" shows that has him singing in a rodeo atop a horse. "I am not retiring, I am saying goodbye to the rodeos only. I am 62 years old and I am satisfied with what I have accomplished, but I know I am not getting younger," he told reporters in his Las Palmas ranch. "I want to retire on a high, I'm retiring from horses because I cannot mount anymore. There are various indicators and some members of my family suffer too much, it's the moment." His voice can still be heard nightly on Univision during the opening credits of "Amores Con Trampa" with the song "Trampa."