Venezuelan Model, DJ Linked to Violent Tren de Aragua Gang Leader Sanctioned by Trump Administration

In a significant move against transnational crime, the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, a Venezuelan model and actress known as “Rosita,” for her alleged ties to the notorious Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the sanctions on Wednesday, accusing Navarro of money laundering activities on behalf of the Venezuelan criminal organization. With millions of social media followers, Navarro has leveraged her public profile while allegedly supporting the gang’s operations.

According to Treasury officials, Navarro helped Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “Niño Guerrero,” escape from Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012. Guerrero is widely recognized as the leader of the TdA, a group that has expanded its criminal network across South America and reportedly into the United States.

“Under President Trump, barbaric terrorist cartels can no longer operate with impunity across our borders,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement. “The Tren de Aragua network’s narcotrafficking and human smuggling operations have long posed a grave threat to our nation.”

Navarro, who works as a DJ in addition to her modeling career, reportedly performs at nightclubs throughout Colombia, with authorities alleging that a portion of these event proceeds flow back to TdA leadership. The sanctions documentation details her role as a shareholder and president of a Venezuela-based company called Global Import Solutions S.A.

The Treasury Department also highlighted Navarro’s connection to Eryk Manuel Landaeta Hernandez, her former bodyguard and manager, who owns the Bogotá nightclub Maiquetia VIP Bar Restaurant where she has performed. Colombian authorities arrested Hernandez in October 2024 for allegedly organizing events featuring international artists and DJs—including Navarro—where drugs were sold for TdA and proceeds were laundered.

The sanctions extend beyond Navarro to several other TdA figures. Additional designations were issued against TdA leaders Richard Jose Espinal Quintero, Noe Manases Aponte Cordova, and Asdrubal Rafael Escobar Cabrera. Cheison Royer Guerrero Palma, the half-brother of Niño Guerrero, was also sanctioned for his role in expanding the gang’s activity into Chile.

Another sanctioned individual, Kenffersso Jhosue Sevilla Arteaga, known as “El Flipper,” was arrested in Cúcuta, Colombia, in November 2025. The Treasury Department stated he was involved in “extortions, kidnappings, and homicides.”

These sanctions represent part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to target TdA members who have entered the United States. The administration has emphasized deportation of gang members back to Venezuela as a priority.

The TdA’s reach into the United States has been a growing concern for American officials. In April, an intelligence assessment from the National Intelligence Council claimed that some Venezuelan officials have facilitated the migration of TdA members into the United States, raising serious national security concerns.

This crackdown follows the State Department’s February decision to designate the Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. The designation provides additional legal tools for U.S. authorities to combat the group’s activities.

The TdA initially formed in Venezuela’s prison system but has evolved into a sophisticated transnational criminal organization with operations spanning across multiple South American countries. Its activities reportedly include drug trafficking, extortion, human smuggling, and various violent crimes.

Security experts note that the gang has taken advantage of the regional instability caused by Venezuela’s economic and political crisis, which has displaced millions of Venezuelans throughout the hemisphere, creating conditions where criminal networks can expand their reach and influence.

The sanctions against Navarro and her associates represent a significant escalation in efforts to disrupt the financial networks supporting the TdA’s criminal enterprise.