Federal and local law enforcement made the announcement and say the accused are part of the so-called "Bad Boys 7," which is a sub-set of the Trinitarios gang.
Authorities claim between September 2023 and 2025, they carried out a string of violent crimes including assaults, armed robberies, carjackings, and at least five murders.
"Their crimes include acts of violence in the Bronx, Manhattan, Westchester, Brooklyn, Essex County, Passaic County, sometimes spanning multiple cities and multiple states on the same night," said Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The defendants are facing RICO charges as well as murder, firearms use, attempted carjacking resulting in death, assault with a deadly weapon and more.
One of the killings in this case is the carjacking death of social media influencer Ariela Mejia-Polanco.
The mother of two was found dead in her car last August a few hours after she'd left work at the Ikon Night Club in Inwood around 4:30 a.m.
Officials on Monday said she was likely targeted because of her luxury Mercedes Benz.
"Our shared goal was to get justice for a young woman, a mom who was executed in the prime of her life," said Terrance Raynor, police commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety.
La Langosta starred in Tekashi 6ix9ine's "Wapae" music video in 2023. Rap superstar Cardi B posted after her death, "RIP Dominican Pretty."
The defendants are also being charged in the shooting deaths of four others: Frankelis Tavarez in March 2024 in the Bronx, Gabriel Alvarez and Adam Waldropt in July 2025 at a car meet in Throggs Neck and Alvis Perez-Liriano in August 2025 outside a barber shop in Newark.
"They operate anywhere they think they can strike," Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musell said.
While there is relief on Monday for the arrests, investigators are still considering whether Polanco's social media presence was monitored by the criminals, as she was known to showcase her success online.
"The more information that's out there, the more people can use that against you," Westchester County Police Capt. James Greer.
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