Baltimore, Maryland
– A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his involvement in a cross-country money laundering conspiracy involving proceeds from marijuana trafficking.
Nicholas Parks, 53, of Winnetka, California, admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering. Parks acknowledges that he and his co-conspirators laundered $329,071 between October 2020 and January 2021 in connection with the scheme.
According to the guilty plea, Parks participated in a conspiracy to launder proceeds he and his associates generated through selling marijuana in Maryland. As part of the conspiracy, female co-conspirators transported marijuana from California to Maryland, usually via commercial air travel. Parks traveled separately from the co-conspirators to Maryland, but he sold the marijuana with local co-conspirators after arrival.
When the co-conspirators finished distributing the drugs, Co-Conspirator 1 used a couple of methods to launder the funds. Co-Conspirator 1 either drove U.S. currency across the country to California or provided the proceeds to a Maryland laundering contact. The contact then moved the money through financial institutions, resulting in two levels, or layers, of laundering transactions.
HSI agents identified several occasions that the co-conspirators laundered marijuana trafficking proceeds. Law enforcement used evidence obtained through multiple methods, including controlled money drops, text messages between co-conspirators, along with recorded calls and meetings, to link the co-conspirators to the conspiracy.
Parks faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The case was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
On October 15, 2020, Texas Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Co-Conspirator 1 in Carson County, Texas. During the stop, officers recovered approximately $109,071 in U.S. currency from Co-Conspirator 1’s vehicle. Officers also seized Co-Conspirator 1’s cell phone.
Following a search of Co-Conspirator 1’s phone, law enforcement uncovered a lengthy text message exchange between Parks and Co-Conspirator 1. The text-message exchange appeared to show Parks’ involvement in the money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy.
Parks is scheduled to be sentenced on a date to be determined by the court.
Related Federal Cases
- Albert Yagubyan, Money Laundering, California 2023 · Maryland
- Joel Acedo-Ojeda, International Money Laundering, California 2016 · Maryland
- Krishen Sauble Iyer, Money Laundering, California 2017 · Maryland
- Ali Reza Jalali, Money Laundering, Washington 2020 · Maryland
- Kerem Dayi, Marijuana Conspiracy, Maryland 2013 · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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