The FBI in Las Vegas Has a Winning Hand on Money Laundering Network
The Las Vegas division Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) chief, Special Agent Aaron Rouse, and Mister Christopher Chiou, the federal prosecutor in the case, declared the successful bust of a money-laundering ring at a press conference.
Law enforcement executives declared that they dismantled key worldwide cocaine and money-laundering center in a continuous investigation that started six years ago in Las Vegas and has included more than 30 different nations.
According to the senior federal prosecutor and FBI head in Las Vegas, the investigation became public after the recent arrests of six persons on conspiracy, drug, and money-laundering charges in Nevada, Arizona, California, and Washington state.
Mr. Rouse, who was accompanied by law enforcement officers from Australia, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, Israel, Romania, and the United Kingdom, revealed that "Operation Money Maker" lasted six years and included 30 or more nations. Six people were arrested in the United States as a result of the worldwide investigation, two of whom are Las Vegas residents, on accusations ranging from conspiracy to distribute illicit drugs to money laundering.
"The cog supports numerous other criminal organizations," Mr. Rouse added. When you remove the cog, the spokes fall out. As a result, the operation's interruption and severe impact cannot be overstated." He went on to say that the matter was unrelated to a casino probe.
Agent Rouse: Criminals' "Hub" is Collapsed
According to the FBI director, millions of cash were involved, but he wouldn't specify the exact amount of money laundered by the drug traffickers. In other words, Agent Aaron Rouse kept his cards close to his chest when it came to precise numbers, locations, and specifics of arrests. Nonetheless, the special agent declared the operation a success, claiming that the criminals' "hub" was collapsed.
He described the plot as a "cog" in a drugs-and-money operation backing "transnational" criminal groups, which he claims would be crippled by the six arrests and "dozens" more throughout the country made during "Operation Money Maker," a six-year investigation. Two of the six persons listed in separate indictments that have been unsealed, according to Chiou, are Las Vegas residents. Others hail from California's Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, and San Jose.
All of The Criminals are The U.S. Citizens
The five men and one woman are between the ages of thirty-one and fifty-one. Each will face charges in Las Vegas, according to Chiou. Each is a U.S. citizen who is accused of conspiring. Three of the six are facing further drug distribution accusations, and four of the six are being investigated for money laundering. If convicted, each of them may face decades in jail. The records of five cases were not readily available in the public record of the United States District Court.
Discover how to enhance your AML processes with Sanction Scanner's new technology in AML control.
Contact us to learn more about how our compliance solution can improve your company, or request a demo to see our products in action.
