Cartel Money Laundering Cell Arrested

Oct 28, 2013 · Sourced to the U.S. Department of Justice

The charges described here are allegations. The defendant(s) are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This page reflects only what the Department of Justice has publicly announced, and links to the original release.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Law enforcement officials have arrested a total of nine individuals alleging they violated the laws of the United States by moving money undetected through the United States banking system from Florida to Texas into Mexico, announced United States Attorney Ke

District

Southern Texas

Announced

Oct 28, 2013

Forfeiture

$1.9M

Status

Charged

Defendants

Oscar J. Aguilar — age 37 · Brownsville · arrested
Yurixi Guadalupe Vega-Martinez — age 29 · Brownsville · arrested
Bea Marie Fairbanks — age 24 · Brownsville · arrested
Mayte Ayde Diaz — age 39 · Brownsville · arrested
Lorena M. Moreno-Martinez — age 39 · Brownsville · arrested
Teodosa Gonzalez-Rodriguez — age 32 · Brownsville · arrested
Yezenia V. Campos-Silva — age 31 · Brownsville · arrested
Yamileth Sinai Carballo — age 20 · Bayview · arrested
Miguel Jonathan Pereira — age 21 · Bayview · arrested
Jose M. Rivera — age 26 · Brownsville · fugitive

Charges

Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonOscar J. Aguilar· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonOscar J. Aguilar· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Oscar J. Aguilar· indicted
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering
Max: 20 years in prisonOscar J. Aguilar· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonYurixi Guadalupe Vega-Martinez· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonYurixi Guadalupe Vega-Martinez· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Yurixi Guadalupe Vega-Martinez· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonBea Marie Fairbanks· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonBea Marie Fairbanks· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Bea Marie Fairbanks· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonMayte Ayde Diaz· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonMayte Ayde Diaz· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Mayte Ayde Diaz· indicted
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering
Max: 20 years in prisonMayte Ayde Diaz· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonLorena M. Moreno-Martinez· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonLorena M. Moreno-Martinez· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Lorena M. Moreno-Martinez· indicted
Conspiracy to commit international money laundering
Max: 20 years in prisonLorena M. Moreno-Martinez· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonTeodosa Gonzalez-Rodriguez· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonTeodosa Gonzalez-Rodriguez· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Teodosa Gonzalez-Rodriguez· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonYezenia V. Campos-Silva· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonYezenia V. Campos-Silva· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Yezenia V. Campos-Silva· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonYamileth Sinai Carballo· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonYamileth Sinai Carballo· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Yamileth Sinai Carballo· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonMiguel Jonathan Pereira· indicted
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonMiguel Jonathan Pereira· indicted
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Miguel Jonathan Pereira· indicted
Conspiracy
Max: 5 years in prisonJose M. Rivera· charged, fugitive
Operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
Max: 5 years in prisonJose M. Rivera· charged, fugitive
Structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
Max: 5 years in prison (up to 10 years if scheme involved more than $100,000)Jose M. Rivera· charged, fugitive

Financial actions

forfeiture: $1,893,170 — Notice of forfeiture against the defendants for alleged proceeds from the criminal activity
fine: $250,000 — Maximum fine on each count for conspiracy and operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business, and for structuring withdrawals at a financial institution
fine: $500,000 — Fine for conspiracy to commit international money laundering

From the announcement

“Those individuals arrested today are members of a money laundering organization that allegedly orchestrated the movement of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds in an attempt to circumvent law enforcement and reap their illicit gains abroad,”

— Janice Ayala, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio

“HSI is dedicated to dismantling suspected transnational criminal organizations, seizing their assets and severing their financial life line.”

— Janice Ayala, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio

Investigating agencies

Homeland Security InvestigationsUnited States Attorney's OfficeU.S. Marshals ServiceBorder PatrolCameron County District Attorney's OfficeCameron County Sheriff's OfficeBrownsville Police Department

Case details

Prosecuting office: Southern District of Texas
Judge: Ronald G. Morgan, U.S. Magistrate Judge

Asset ForfeitureCross-Border Cash SmugglingDrug Trafficking And Cartel InvolvementLaw Enforcement CooperationMoney LaunderingStructuring Financial TransactionsTransnational Criminal OrganizationsUnlicensed Money Transmitting Business

Primary source

Every fact above is drawn from the Department of Justice's own announcement — a public-domain government record.

Read the original DOJ release →

This is a research and reference page compiled from public DOJ announcements, not legal advice. Details reflect the government's statements as of its release date and may not capture later developments such as appeals, dismissals, or overturned convictions. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.