A former Shark Tank contestant from Colombia has been arrested in London and accused of murdering two teenage girls by poisoning chocolate-covered raspberries.
Zulma Guzman Castro, 54, allegedly laced the berries with tasteless, odorless thallium, leading to the deaths of 14-year-old Ines De Bedout and 13-year-old Emilia Forero in Bogota in April 2025. Another teen and a 21-year-old were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Castro had fled Colombia shortly after the deaths and was found in the UK in December, rescued from the Thames River. She denies the allegations, claiming the murders are being pinned on her due to a personal affair.
The berries may have been intended for Ines’ father, who had recently separated from her, officials say. The father has publicly paid tribute to his daughter, calling her his “greatest love.”
Castro was arrested by the National Crime Agency on January 5 in London and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Colombian authorities want her extradited in connection with murder and attempted murder charges.
