- Sign up for our US Editor's Picks newsletter to get all the biggest exclusive stories
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
A TikTok influencer who is also the daughter of a notorious drug lord has been arrested as authorities investigate a $25.8 million money laundering scheme tied to her father.
asserted
authorities → sign → father
Michelle Jamileth Macías Penarrieta, 23, was arrested alongside her mother, Inda Mariela Penarrieta Tuarez, on Sunday in Sabana de Torres, a small town in northeastern Colombia.
asserted
Penarrieta → arrest → Colombia
The two women are the daughter and wife of infamous Ecuadorian narcotrafficker Adolfo 'Fito' Macias, the leader of the Los Choneros gang, which was designated as a terrorist group by the US last year.
asserted
which → designate → US
In January 2024, Fito escaped an Ecuadorian prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking and murder.
asserted
he → escape → trafficking
His escape prompted Ecuador's government to declare a state of emergency as violence erupted in the streets of Guayaquil, the country's largest city, and gang members held news anchors at gunpoint during a live broadcast.
asserted
members → prompt → broadcast
Fito was recaptured and extradited to the US last year.
asserted
Fito → recapture → US
He is facing seven charges, including drugs and weapons trafficking, in a New York court and is facing 20 years to life in prison.
asserted
He → face → prison
He has pleaded not guilty.
asserted
He → plead → ?
While her father led a criminal empire, Michelle grew an enormous following online, where she went by the name Queen Michelle.
asserted
she → lead → name
The influencer showed off her luxury lifestyle and posed with huge stacks of cash on TikTok, where she had 65 million followers, according to The Sun and Colombian outlet El Colombiano.
uncertain
she → show → Sun
Her account was taken down after she was arrested.
asserted
she → take → ?
Michelle Jamileth Macías Penarrieta, 23, an influencer and the daughter of Ecuadorian drug lord Adolfo 'Fito' Macias, has been arrested on money laundering charges
Michelle showed off her luxury lifestyle and posed with huge stacks of cash to her 65 million followers on TikTok, where she went by Queen Michelle
Michelle was arrested alongside her mother, Inda Mariela Penarrieta Tuarez, in Colombia on Sunday.
asserted
Michelle → arrest → Sunday
They are accused of facilitating a $25.8 million money laundering scheme
Fito was recaptured last year and extradited to the US after escaping an Ecuadorian prison in January 2024.
asserted
Fito → accuse → January
He is now facing up to life in prison in a New York court
Michelle is also a wannabe pop star who released several songs on YouTube.
asserted
who → face → YouTube
In one of the music videos, she could be seen on a ranch surrounded by horses and luxury vehicles.
uncertain
she → see → horses
That video has also been taken down.
asserted
video → take → ?
Ecuadorian authorities allege that the lifestyle Michelle was showing off was funded by dirty money and tied to her father's criminal activities.
asserted
Michelle → allege → activities
Investigators in the country indicted 17 people in March in a money laundering case related to Fito's finances, as they accused at least four companies of moving the drug lord's money around to make it appear legitimate, The Sun reported.
asserted
Sun → indict → money
Ecuadorian authorities also allege that Michelle and Inda attempted to ally with Colombian criminal organizations to facilitate drugs and arms trafficking and money laundering.
asserted
Michelle → allege → drugs
The mother and daughter had been staying in the town where they were arrested for four months after having spent time in the Colombian cities of Bucaramanga and Medellin, The Sun reported.
asserted
Sun → stay → Bucaramanga
They were located through a surveillance operation before Colombian authorities swarmed the residence and arrested the pair.
asserted
authorities → locate → pair
Colombia's president, Abelardo De La Espriella, celebrated the arrest in a statement on X and shared pictures and footage of the mother and daughter being taken into custody.
'
asserted
mother → celebrate → custody
They are the wife and daughter of alias “Fito,” who led Los Choneros, one of Ecuador's most violent criminal organizations, dedicated to international drug trafficking,' De La Espriella wrote in Spanish.
asserted
Espriella → lead → Spanish
Michelle was also a wannabe pop star who released several songs on YouTube.
asserted
who → release → YouTube
Her TikTok account and some of her songs were taken down after she was arrested
Ecuadorian authorities allege that Michelle's lifestyle was funded by dirty money tied to her father's criminal empire.
asserted
lifestyle → take → empire
A suitcase full of cash featured in one of her TikToks is pictured
asserted
suitcase → feature → TikToks
Colombia President Abelardo De La Espriella said that the arrest was the result of a joint effort by Colombian and Ecuadorian authorities and the FBI
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said: 'This is how it's done, Abelardo: together and with results.
asserted
it → say → results
We captured them in Colombia, and they will face justice in Ecuador'
asserted
they → capture → Ecuador
'Ecuadorian authorities are investigating them for using shell companies to launder the organization's money,' his statement continued.
asserted
statement → investigate → money
'I'll gladly send them to my good friend, President Daniel Noboa, so they can face Ecuadorian justice.'
asserted
they → send → justice
The Colombian president said that his country's army, national police and attorney general's office worked with Ecuadorian authorities and the FBI to carry out the investigation and arrest of Michelle and Inda.
asserted
army → say → Michelle
'Colombia will not be a refuge for the finances of transnational crime,' his statement said.
asserted
statement → say → crime
'In the era of the Tiger, the family members of bandits who commit crimes with them will not go unpunished.
asserted
who → commit → them
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa replied to the statement and said: 'This is how it's done, Abelardo: together and with results.
asserted
it → reply → results
We captured them in Colombia, and they will face justice in Ecuador.
asserted
they → capture → Ecuador
They are called to trial for money laundering for the Choneros.
asserted
They → call → Choneros
The money that buys weapons, pays hitmen, and sustains extortion.
asserted
that → buy → extortion
It is the structure with which they terrorize Ecuadorian families.'
asserted
they → terrorize → families
The Aporia
