FLORIDA – A Jacksonville man has been handed a severe sentence for his involvement in a $250,000 money laundering scheme. Mauricio Chahine, 53, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard.
The court also ordered Chahine to forfeit $12,000 in proceeds from the illegal enterprise. He pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025, after being caught in a DEA sting operation.
According to court documents and evidence presented during his sentencing hearing, an informer alerted authorities that Chahine was a money launderer with connections to move funds internationally. A covert federal agent then approached him, posing as a cocaine trafficker seeking assistance in moving large sums of money.
Chahine, without flinching, agreed to the scheme and detailed his willingness to split the profits, with fees ranging from 12% for amounts over $200,000 to 15% under that threshold. He claimed experience since 1999 and offered multiple business channels for money transfer. Chahine’s brazen attitude was further illustrated when he asked for a fake invoice to mask their illegal activities.
Over five transactions, Chahine accepted $217,975 in cash and $50,000 in phony currency. He deposited the funds into seven corporate accounts across various banks before wiring them back to an undercover government account. Since his arrest on November 12, 2024, he has remained in custody.
“Drug traffickers often rely on others for money laundering,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronald Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Our financial experts will continue to crack down on those who facilitate drug distribution and proceeds concealment.” The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with support from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly S. Milliron and Michael J. Coolican prosecuted the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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