Bobbie L. Henderson III, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, New Jersey 2019

EDGEWATER, NJ – Bobbie L. Henderson III, 36, is staring down a potential 20-year prison sentence after admitting to his role in a sprawling money laundering operation linked to narcotics distribution. Henderson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

The feds say Henderson conspired with others from 2017 through May 23, 2019, to scrub dirty money earned from the sale of illegal drugs. The goal? To further fuel the narcotics trade. Authorities seized over $850,000 in cash during the investigation, directly tied to Henderson and the conspiracy.

This wasn’t some small-time operation. Henderson knowingly possessed and moved a substantial amount of illicit funds—more than $850,000—while actively working to conceal its origins. The investigation, spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division and the New York Strike Force, paints a picture of a sophisticated network designed to protect drug dealers’ profits.

The New York Strike Force is a multi-agency task force—a veritable army of law enforcement—including the DEA, NYPD, NY State Police, ICE-HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, ATF, CBP, U.S. Marshals, the National Guard, and even local police departments like Clarkstown and Port Washington. It’s backed by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the laundered money—whichever is greater. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, is prosecuting the case. Henderson was represented by Scott E. Leemon Esq. of New York.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2020. While the U.S. Secret Service was among the agencies contributing to the Strike Force, the DEA took the lead on this investigation, highlighting the agency’s focus on disrupting the financial infrastructure that enables drug trafficking organizations to operate. This case serves as a warning: moving dirty money carries serious federal consequences.

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