Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus, 60, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Carbajal agreed to facilitate the transfer of approximately $99,500 from the Dominican Republic into a U.S. bank account in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
The funds, delivered in cash, were presented to Carbajal and his partner as originating from a sanctioned Venezuelan government official seeking to bypass U.S. sanctions. In exchange for the service, Carbajal and his partner proposed a 20% fee, intending to disguise the transactions through fabricated invoices and multiple bank accounts.
During conversations with undercover agents posing as representatives of the sanctioned individual, Carbajal referenced the money using coded language, referring to it as a “boy who needs to be taken to school.” He knowingly agreed to the scheme to circumvent U.S. financial regulations.
Carbajal is scheduled for sentencing on June 12th and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Investigating agencies included the Department of Justice and its Office of Public Affairs.
Source: Department of Justice