MIAMI – A grand jury indicted nine for conspiring to launder U.S. currency into cryptocurrency on behalf of drug cartels and for running an unlicensed money-transmitting business, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Recommended Videos
The federal indictment identified Nilson Sneyder Vasquez Duarte, also known as “Sobrino;” as the one who coordinated the cash and cryptocurrency deliveries to cartels in Mexico and Colombia.
Duarte, 34, was allegedly in touch with black market cryptocurrency exchangers who also acted as couriers, who picked up and delivered the cash derived from drug sales.
The other eight indicted were Hernan Samper, Maria Landeros, Raimundo Rodriguez, Mayccol Morales, Hernan Calvo, Sergio Vargas, Juan Riano, and Jesus Rincon.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies worked with federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation to get evidence of the crimes from 2020-23.
All nine defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of the operation of an unlicensed money-transmitting business.