A newly graduated general practitioner and two other women were arrested by law enforcement during an operation against extortion in Machala, officials announced.
Diana Carolina González Arreaga, aged 27, who was employed at a public hospital in Machala, was arrested by Ecuador’s National Anti-Kidnapping and Extortion Unit (UNASE) together with Karen Yeleni Quezada Peñarrieta, aged 26, and Dayana Suyin Molina Zambrano, aged 30.
The women were arrested during an operation dubbed “Libertad 275” after a vendor reported that he received extortion threats and demands of $6,000 in exchange for not harming him or his family.
According to reports, the women were arrested as they went to collect the extortion money.
The women are suspected of being affiliated with a criminal group that could be related to the criminal group “Los Lobos,” which is active in Ecuador.
The women were arrested while in possession of cell phones and cash, which are believed to be evidence of their crimes, officials announced.
The judge ordered preventive detention of the women, who are now under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office for extortion.
The arrest of González Arreaga has gained media attention due to her social media presence.
González Arreaga is a 27-year-old general practitioner who was active on social media under the pseudonym of an “influencer.” She was popular for her lifestyle, which included luxury items and travel to countries such as Switzerland, Colombia, and the United States.
