The US is offering a $5M reward for alleged Los Choneros lieutenant Francisco Bermúdez Cagua, accused of cocaine trafficking and violent acts under the FTO-designated gang. (Department of Justice)
"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," U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York said. "The significant reward being offered by the State Department underscores our resolve to bring Los Choneros’s leadership to justice in a U.S. courthouse and eradicate such organizations."
Co-conspirator José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as "Fito," 46, was extradited to New York in July 2025. The Department of Justice said he is an Ecuadorian citizen who also faces international drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Darío Javier Peñafiel Nieto, also known as "Topo," 35, is a co-conspirator in the superseding indictment and is currently in custody in Ecuador.
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Soldiers keep watch outside the Zonal 8 prison in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Jan. 11, 2024. (Henry Romero/Reuters)
The co-conspirators are accused of directing and ordering acts of violence to advance the organization’s goals.
The State Department designated Los Choneros as an FTO in September 2025.
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"Bermúdez Cagua is a high-ranking narco-terrorist whose actions have fueled the flow of cocaine into the United States and sown chaos in Ecuador," U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Terrance Cole said. "The DEA is resolute in its mission to turn up the pressure and bring this dangerous individual to justice."
The DEA encourages anyone with information about Bermúdez Cagua’s whereabouts to contact the agency at Ecuadortips@dea.gov or +593-988-292-235, where all information will be kept confidential.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-administration-offers-5m-reward-capture-fugitive-los-choneros-gang-leader