BOSTON – The high life came crashing down for Ratanack Oung, 32, of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The man pleaded guilty today in federal court to orchestrating a massive marijuana distribution and money laundering operation stretching from the California coast to the streets of the East Coast. Oung, also known as “Yoshi,” faces serious time for flooding the region with weed and then trying to wash the dirty money clean.
Oung admitted to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He was initially indicted in September 2016 alongside co-conspirator Virayuth Chau, 40, of Temecula, California. Chau had already copped a plea in March 2013, leaving Oung to face the music alone. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton set sentencing for July 13, 2017 – a date Oung will undoubtedly wish he could erase.
The scheme, which began around January 2014, saw Chau and Oung shipping between 1,000 to 3,000 kilograms of marijuana from California. The operation wasn’t just about getting the drugs across the country; it was about hiding the profits. Oung collected the cash – often in amounts under $10,000 to avoid raising red flags – and deposited it into a network of “feeder” accounts at banks across the East Coast, including several in Massachusetts. These accounts were cleverly masked using businesses and individuals connected to Chau, attempting to conceal the source of the funds.
The money didn’t stay put for long. Once deposited, the drug proceeds were either withdrawn as cash in California or transferred into “target” accounts controlled by Chau. This intricate system allowed the pair to launder approximately $6,135,035 in illicit profits. It’s a hefty sum, and prosecutors aren’t likely to be lenient. This wasn’t some small-time operation; it was a sophisticated criminal enterprise designed to maximize profit and minimize risk – until now.
Oung is looking at a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the marijuana conspiracy charge, along with a minimum of three years and potentially a lifetime of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. The money laundering charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. While actual sentences are often lighter, Oung is facing a lengthy stretch behind bars. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines will be a key factor in the judge’s decision.
The bust was the result of a coordinated effort by Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb, Michael J. Ferguson of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division, and Joel P. Garland of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston. Assistance also came from the DEA’s Los Angeles Division, the Riverside County (California) Sheriff’s Department, and the Murrieta (California) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen, of Weinreb’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, is prosecuting the case, determined to see justice served in this bi-coastal drug trafficking scheme.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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