U.S. Treasury Department imposes sanctions on key figures of a perilous Venezuelan prison gang, specifically six leading members.
The United States has taken a significant step in combating transnational crime by imposing sanctions on key leaders of the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Designated by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), the gang has been linked to drug trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, sexual exploitation, and money laundering.
At the forefront of these sanctions is Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as "Niño Guerrero," the head of Tren de Aragua. Credited with transforming the gang from a prison-based extortion group into a major transnational criminal organization, Guerrero is accused of executing murders of law enforcement officials and overseeing the gang's illicit activities. The Treasury Department has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
Joining Guerrero on the sanctions list is Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, a senior leader responsible for narcotics trafficking, orchestrating murders, managing extortion operations, and handling the gang's financial proceeds, especially in Colombia. He has been named an FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive and sanctioned for acting on behalf of Tren de Aragua.
Four additional top members affiliated with Guerrero have also been sanctioned, though their names are less prominently reported. Included among the sanctioned is Wendy Marbelys Rios Gomez, identified as Guerrero’s wife and a senior member within the organization, who is accused of benefiting from profits maintained in connection to the criminal activities of Tren de Aragua. She is reportedly linked to money laundering, terrorism, and terrorist financing.
The sanctions target the gang under Executive Orders related to transnational criminal organizations and terrorist groups. The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) maintains these leaders on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, aiming to disrupt their activities throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The sanctions block the property of designated individuals in the U.S., prohibiting anyone in the U.S. from doing business with them unless authorized. Violations can result in penalties, and financial institutions risk sanctions for dealing with those who are blocked. Foreign banks may face secondary sanctions.
Tren de Aragua, with thousands of members, originated in Venezuela and has reportedly been linked to incidents of violence in cities like New York City. The gang is also allegedly involved in the illicit drug trade, human smuggling and trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation of women and children, and money laundering.
Other notable figures sanctioned include Yohan Jose Romero, also known as "Johan Petrica," who is accused of providing Tren de Aragua with military-grade weapons, and Felix Anner Castillo Rondon, aka "Pure Arnel," the leader of a Tren de Aragua cell known as "Los Gallegos" operating in Chile. Romero is accused of providing Tren de Aragua with military-grade weapons, and he faces a reward of $4 million for his arrest and conviction.
The White House previously stated that many of the gang's members unlawfully infiltrated the U.S. and are "undertaking hostile actions against the United States." The sanctions come as part of a broader effort to combat transnational crime and protect public safety throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Breaking news: The United States hasadded Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as "Niño Guerrero," the head of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, to the list of sanctioned individuals under politics and general-news categories. The gang, involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, sexual exploitation, and money laundering, is now on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, aiming to disrupt their activities in crime-and-justice matters across the Western Hemisphere. Other sanctioned individuals include Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, Wendy Marbelys Rios Gomez, Yohan Jose Romero, and Felix Anner Castillo Rondon, all accused of assisting the gang in various illegal activities.
