Ex-Paraguayan Congresswoman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering

Grimy Times Exclusive: A former member of Paraguay’s Congress, Cynthia Elizabeth Tarrago Diaz, and her husband, Raimundo Va, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a massive international money laundering conspiracy. The scheme involved the laundering of at least $2 million in proceeds believed to be from drug trafficking.

The pair were arrested by the FBI in November 2019 after entering the United States with suspicious intent. They were charged along with Rodrigo Alvarenga Paredes, who is still at large in Paraguay. According to court documents, Tarrago, a former Congresswoman and aspiring mayor of Asunción, was promised large sums of money by individuals posing as drug traffickers, which she agreed to launder through an international network.

The funds were actually provided by undercover FBI agents as part of their investigation. During the probe, Tarrago expressed her ability to facilitate the procurement of large quantities of cocaine from Paraguay at a reduced cost. The investigation revealed that Alvarenga Paredes had coordinated the laundering process through a money-exchange company in Paraguay.

The charges against Tarrago and Va carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved. Their sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2021. The investigation into this international money laundering operation is ongoing.

Craig Carpenito, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, praised the efforts of FBI agents and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in bringing the case to a successful conclusion. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Joseph Gribko and J. Brendan Day are representing the government in this high-profile case.