Alexandria, Va. – The grimy halls of justice echo with the sound of defeat as Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, a Paraguay-based international money launderer, receives a 15-year prison sentence. Court documents reveal Santoro, also known as Capitan, was deeply entwined in a transnational drug trafficking web.
His partner in crime, Sebastian Enrique Marset Cabrera, stands accused of moving ton quantities of cocaine worth millions from South America to Europe. Santoro’s role was no less sinister; he was the moneyman, facilitating the movement of tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds across continents. With a web of couriers and tokens, he slipped cash into the global banking system under false pretenses, often funneling funds into the U.S.
But his methods were far from subtle. He used at least seven front companies to mask his operations, creating a labyrinth of false invoices to justify wire transfers. Santoro’s reach extended to South America and Asia, where he concealed the origin of drug proceeds with ease.
The sentence handed down is not just for money laundering but also for the violence threatened to protect his activities. In less than five months, Santoro directed over $11 million in drug trafficking funds through U.S. banks, taking a cut as payment for his services.
U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert and DEA Special Agent in Charge Louis A. D’Ambrosio stood together after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr., heralding a victory in Operation Take Back America, a fierce battle against transnational criminal organizations.
For those with information on Marset’s operation or his location, the DEA is calling for action, urging contact via email at MarsetTips@dea.gov. The case is part of a relentless campaign to protect communities from the scourge of violent crime and dismantle cartels and TCOs. For more details and related court documents, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or PACER by searching Case No. 1:23-cr-143.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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