Brooklyn-based CBZ Management, which operates 11 apartment complexes in Colorado, claims members of the Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua, have taken control of several of their buildings in Aurora. According to the company, the gang threatened employees and attempted to extort them for a cut of the rent in exchange for allowing the properties to continue operating.
Earlier this year, CBZ made headlines when surveillance footage captured a heavily armed group, allegedly members of Tren de Aragua, moving through The Edge at Lowry apartments, speaking in Spanish. More recently, the company reported an incident in which one of their representatives was assaulted at the Whispering Pines Complex after refusing a bribe from squatters.
The company shared on X (formerly Twitter) that their employee had discovered a group of male squatters in a vacated apartment and refused to accept a $500 bribe to ignore the situation. As a result, the employee was severely beaten and required hospital treatment. “I think they were trying to kill me,” the representative told Fox 31, sharing a photo of his bloodied face.
Following the attack, the employee began receiving threats via text, including his home address and the name of his spouse. CBZ claims that the FBI confirmed members of Tren de Aragua were behind the threats and the apartment takeovers but allegedly downplayed the issue due to the gang’s growing national presence.
The Aurora Police Department, however, has stated that they have “not yet obtained evidence of a gang takeover at any CBZ properties”, told Denver 7. A department spokesperson acknowledged the likelihood of gang members residing at some of the properties but indicated that gang-related issues are common throughout the metro area.
Meanwhile, city officials and Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman have criticized CBZ, labeling the management company as “slumlords” and accusing them of exaggerating the gang situation, KDVR reported.. Coffman noted that CBZ’s problems predate any involvement from Venezuelan gangs, citing the company’s history of violations, which include issues like mice infestations and ceiling damage. In recent weeks, a judge ordered some of CBZ’s properties into receivership following legal actions from their lenders.
CBZ has pushed back on these accusations, stating that code violations were “drummed up” to cover up the gang presence and maintaining that their properties had passed inspections in 2022 and 2023. They also claimed that any unresolved violations occurred after they withdrew staff from the buildings for safety reasons.
As the debate continues, residents like Cindy Romero, who moved out due to increasing violence, feel overlooked. “How many gangs is OK to have in Aurora? How many people, who are citizens paying their bills, is it OK to displace?” she asked, frustrated by the situation.