Mariano Santana, Money Laundering, Massachusetts 2023

Mariano Santana, a 57-year-old Boston man, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in an international money laundering and drug trafficking organization. Santana’s plea comes after a superseding indictment was unsealed in May 2023, charging 12 individuals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and California with their alleged roles in the organization.

According to the charging documents, Jin Hua Zhang, the alleged leader of the organization, laundered bulk cash for drug dealers and laundered profits from other illegal businesses for a fee. Zhang allegedly directed his co-defendant couriers, including Santana, to deliver cash and wire transfers to undercover agents. In total, Zhang and his organization allegedly laundered at least $25 million worth of drug proceeds and funds from other illegal businesses traced to Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, India, Cambodia, and Brazil.

Santana, a courier for the organization, delivered bulk cash deliveries of illicit proceeds to a cooperating witness in a Quincy parking lot on two separate occasions in June 2022. On June 2, 2022, Santana provided the individual with a bag containing $30,000 in cash. On June 7, 2022, Santana delivered $29,800 in cash.

The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Mariano Santana is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty, and Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

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