Woman pleads guilty in migrant sex trafficking scheme

A Venezuelan woman has pleaded guilty to leading a sex trafficking operation that lured vulnerable women from Central and South America to the United States with false promises of legitimate jobs before forcing them into prostitution.

Federal prosecutors said Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, conspiracy to bring undocumented immigrants into the U.S. for financial gain, and money laundering conspiracy. She faces up to life in prison.

According to court documents, Rivero-De Caldera entered the United States in 2022 and operated the scheme from motels in Nashville, Tennessee. Prosecutors said she and several family members recruited women by offering financial assistance to travel to the U.S. and promising employment.

Once the women began their journey, prosecutors said they were told they owed tens of thousands of dollars in additional fees and were pressured into commercial sex to repay the debt. Investigators said victims were closely monitored, had immigration documents withheld, and were threatened if they attempted to leave before paying what they owed.

Eight co-defendants, including members of Rivero-De Caldera's family, have also pleaded guilty in the case.

The Justice Department says human trafficking remains one of its top enforcement priorities and is working with federal, state, and local agencies to strengthen investigations and combat trafficking networks.