Individuals Including Venezuelan Entertainer “Rosita” Involved in Drug-Fueled Parties to Benefit Terrorist Cartel
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned key affiliates of the designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), Tren de Aragua (TdA). Notably, today’s action includes the designation of Venezuelan entertainer Jimena Romina Araya Navarro (a.k.a. “Rosita”), who is part of a network of five persons affiliated with the entertainment industry that have provided material support to TdA. Rosita, for example, reportedly helped the notorious head of TdA, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”) escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012, and others in this network have laundered money for TdA leaders. OFAC is also sanctioning five additional key TdA affiliates and one entity located in South America.
“Under President Trump, barbaric terrorist cartels can no longer operate with impunity across our borders. The Tren de Aragua network’s narcotrafficking and human smuggling operations have long posed a grave threat to our nation,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “At the direction of President Trump, we will continue to use every tool to cut off these terrorists from the U.S. and global financial system and keep American citizens safe.”
TdA is an FTO that originated in Venezuela and continues to expand throughout the Western Hemisphere. TdA engages in a range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation of women and children, money laundering, and murder-for-hire, among others.
TREASURY’S CONTINUED EFFORTS AGAINST TdA
Today’s action is in furtherance of the Trump administration’s policy to crack down on international cartels and transnational criminal organizations. On July 11, 2024, Treasury sanctioned TdA as a significant transnational criminal organization. On February 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated TdA as an FTO and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). On June 24, 2025, OFAC sanctioned Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano (Mosquera Serrano), a senior leader of TdA. On July 17, 2025, Treasury also sanctioned the notorious head of TdA, “Niño Guerrero,” alongside other key leaders and affiliates of TdA.
Today, the U.S. Department of State is also announcing a reward offer increase under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mosquera Serrano.
Today’s designations are the result of ongoing collaboration with U.S. government counterparts, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, OFAC coordinated this action with international law enforcement partners.
KILLING THE BEAT: SANCTIONING TdA-LINKED ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK
Today, OFAC is sanctioning a network of individuals and entities in the entertainment industry involved in providing material support to TdA. Venezuelan national Jimena Romina Araya Navarro (a.k.a. “Rosita”) is a DJ, actress, and model with millions of social media followers. She is believed to be romantically linked to Niño Guerrero, the sanctioned leader of TdA. In 2012, she reportedly helped Niño Guerrero escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela. Rosita performs as a DJ in various nightclubs around Colombia. A portion of the revenue generated during her performances and events is remitted to TdA leadership. Specifically, Rosita has performed in the Bogota nightclub Maiquetia VIP Bar Restaurant, which is owned by her former bodyguard and manager, Eryk Manuel Landaeta Hernandez (a.k.a. “Eryk”). Additionally, Rosita is a shareholder and the president of a Venezuela-based company, Global Import Solutions S.A.
Until his arrest by Colombian authorities in October 2024, Eryk was the reported financial and logistics chief for TdA in Bogota, Colombia. He organized events featuring international artists and DJs, including Rosita. These parties
were used to sell narcotics for TdA; the proceeds of the drug sales were then laundered. Specifically, Eryk is known to have laundered money for Niño Guerrero and sanctioned senior TdA leader Mosquera Serrano.
Eryk owns the creative, arts, and entertainment services company Eryk Producciones SAS, as well as the Bogota nightclub Maiquetia VIP Bar Restaurant, a venue he has used to sell drugs for TdA.
Jimena Romina Araya Navarro and Eryk Manuel Landaeta Hernandez are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of TdA.
Eryk Producciones SAS and Maiquetia VIP Bar Restaurant are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Eryk.
Global Import Solutions S.A. is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Rosita.
TARGETING TdA HIERARCHY
Today, OFAC is also sanctioning Kenffersso Jhosue Sevilla Arteaga (a.k.a. “El Flipper”). Until his arrest in Cucuta, Colombia in November 2025, El Flipper was the righthand man of Niño Guerrero. He was a financial leader for TdA and was involved in extortions, kidnappings, and homicides. He had shell businesses and organized illegal rents in Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, the United States, and Colombia. El Flipper also uses the alias “Jose Daniel Martinez Lopez,” under which he owns a Colombia-based entity that is involved in wholesale and retail trade, called Yakera y Lane SAS.
In addition, OFAC is sanctioning multiple individuals located across Venezuela who are cell leaders or lieutenants of TdA: Richard Jose Espinal Quintero, Noe Manases Aponte Cordova, and Asdrubal Rafael Escobar Cabrera. Finally, OFAC is also sanctioning a half-brother of TdA leader Niño Guerrero, Cheison Royer Guerrero Palma, who was involved in the organization’s expansion efforts in Chile.
Kenffersso Jhosue Sevilla Arteaga, Richard Jose Espinal Quintero, Noe Manases Aponte Cordova, Asdrubal Rafael Escobar Cabrera, and Cheison Royer Guerrero Palma are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, TdA.
Yakera y Lane SAS is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Kenffersso Jhosue Sevilla Arteaga.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC’s guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List.
Click here for more information on the persons designated today.
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