Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim announced Monday a man who led an international money laundering business pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court.
Jesus Rodriguez-Jimenez worked with Central America and Mexico drug cartels.
He was responsible for handling the proceeds from heroin and cocaine trafficking through shell bank accounts, money couriers and front companies, according to court documents.
Prison“As he admitted in Manhattan federal court today, Jesus Rodriguez-Jimenez led an international money laundering operation that handled the proceeds of cocaine and heroin trafficking by Mexican and Central American cartels.
Using front companies, sham bank accounts, and money drops in several U.S. cities, the Rodriguez-Jimenez organization laundered more than a quarter of a billion dollars in illegal drug trafficking proceeds.
Thanks to the efforts of the DEA and IRS, Rodriguez-Jimenez now awaits sentencing for his crimes,” said Kim.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Rodriguez-Jimenez’s organization back in July 2013. His cartel clients were involved in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of heroin and cocaine, along with other narcotics through “legitimate” companies that they controlled.
Rodriguez-Jimenez’s organization had ties to the United States, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Panama, according to court records.
Rodriguez-Jimenez received large sums of cash proceeds in the U.S. and other countries.
He deposited the proceeds into “sham bank accounts” and distributed it to his cartel clients through international and domestic wire transfers. He oversaw the delivery of proceeds from narcotics to various money launderers located in the U.S., including New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Rodriguez-Jimenez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for later this year.
