US Offers $5 Million Reward for Ecuadorian Gang Leader “Churron”

The Trump administration has announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Francisco Manuel Bermúdez Cagua, also known as “Churron,” a high-ranking lieutenant of the Ecuadorian gang Los Choneros. The State Department’s Narcotics Reward Program made the announcement Thursday, targeting the 29-year-old fugitive whose organization was designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in September.

According to a superseding indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York, Bermúdez Cagua faces serious charges including international cocaine distribution conspiracy, international cocaine distribution, and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. These charges, unsealed in June, highlight the growing concern over transnational criminal organizations operating between South America and the United States.

“As alleged, Bermúdez Cagua is a top lieutenant within the leadership of Los Choneros, an extremely violent foreign terrorist organization responsible for pumping drugs into the United States, causing harm to our communities and wreaking havoc in his homeland of Ecuador,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. of the Eastern District of New York. “The significant reward being offered by the State Department underscores our resolve to bring Los Choneros’ leadership to justice in a U.S. courthouse and eradicate such organizations.”

This latest action follows the extradition of alleged co-conspirator José Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as “Fito,” to New York in July 2025. The 46-year-old Ecuadorian citizen also faces international drug trafficking and firearms charges. Another alleged co-conspirator, Darío Javier Peñafiel Nieto, alias “Topo,” 35, remains in custody in Ecuador.

Los Choneros has emerged as one of the most violent transnational criminal organizations in Ecuador. According to the indictment, the group has established an extensive network capable of moving multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America through Central America and Mexico before reaching the United States and other destinations.

The organization’s influence extends beyond drug trafficking. The alleged co-conspirators are accused of directing and ordering violent acts to advance their criminal enterprise, contributing to Ecuador’s growing security crisis. The situation has become so severe that Ecuador’s government has had to deploy military forces to combat gang violence in cities like Guayaquil, where prison violence and street crime have surged in recent years.

“We will use every tool in our arsenal to stop the brutal criminals who are trafficking deadly drugs into our country,” said Chris Landberg of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are offering a reward of up to $5 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Bermúdez Cagua.”

The designation of Los Choneros as a foreign terrorist organization in September 2025 represents a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations. This designation provides law enforcement with additional tools to disrupt the group’s operations and financial networks.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrance Cole emphasized the threat posed by Bermúdez Cagua, describing him as a “high-ranking narco-terrorist whose actions have fueled the flow of cocaine into the United States and sown chaos in Ecuador.” Cole added that “the DEA is resolute in its mission to turn up the pressure and bring this dangerous individual to justice.”

The reward announcement comes as Ecuador continues to struggle with escalating violence tied to drug trafficking organizations. Once considered one of the safer countries in South America, Ecuador has experienced a dramatic increase in homicides and prison violence in recent years as cartels battle for control of cocaine smuggling routes.

The DEA is encouraging anyone with information about Bermúdez Cagua’s whereabouts to contact them via email at Ecuadortips@dea.gov or by phone at +593-988-292-235, assuring that all information will be kept confidential.