Michelle Jamileth Macías Peñarrieta—the daughter of the man known as “Alias Fito”—emerged from a bedroom with her arms raised. Her arrest took place on Sunday, September 27, at a home in the municipality of Sabana de Torres, in the Colombian department of Santander. Videos released by authorities show her holding her mother, Inda Peñarrieta Tuárez, by the waist while officers read out the charges; she is later seen covering her face and wiping away tears.
Both women were subject to an Interpol Red Notice, as they had been summoned to stand trial in the “Blanqueo Fito” (Fito Money Laundering) case, which investigates an asset-laundering scheme linked to the former top leader of the Los Choneros gang. The operation involved the Ecuadorian National Police, the FBI, the National Intelligence Center, and Colombian police and armed forces.
Interior Minister John Reimberg announced that they would be sent to La Roca maximum-security prison; since April, the facility has housed only women deemed highly dangerous or classified as high-value targets.
Beauty queen, singer, and influencer
In 2019, she won the “Reina del Comercio” (Queen of Commerce) pageant in Manta. A TikTok profile bearing her name—featuring photos with her father—offers loans. She also performed *corridos* (ballads) dedicated to Fito, which are available on YouTube.
These loan offers align with one of the accusations facing her family, though not her personally. In the “Blanqueo Fito” case, prosecutors allege that her brother, Adolfo Jair Macías Peñarrieta—who is also facing charges—used social media to promote “gota a gota” (loan shark/predatory) loans, posting images of large sums of cash and armored vehicles.
In 2019, she won the “Reina del Comercio” pageant in Manta. Photos with his father appear on his TikTok profile, and he also used that account to offer loans. Furthermore, he performed *corridos* dedicated to Fito that have been posted on YouTube.
Those songs did not go unnoticed by the Prosecutor’s Office. During the pre-trial hearing, the prosecution cited his involvement in producing songs that glorified his father as evidence that he was aware of his father’s activities. In the view of the prosecution, these tracks exalt the power, status, and luxury of Los Choneros.
