TAMPA, FL – Miguel Alexander Perez Perez, 33, of the Dominican Republic, is headed to federal prison for eight years after being sentenced for his role in a sophisticated money laundering conspiracy. Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington handed down the sentence today, along with an order for Perez Perez to forfeit a staggering $1,600,110 – the dirty money he attempted to scrub clean.
Perez Perez wasn’t a drug kingpin, but a crucial cog in the machine. Court documents reveal he operated as a broker, arranging “contracts” for laundering the proceeds of drug sales. He facilitated the funneling of illicit cash collected within the United States into the banking system, meticulously concealing the funds’ origins. His method? Trade-based money laundering – a classic tactic for dirty money.
The scheme involved purchasing goods, specifically cellphones, within the U.S. with drug money. These devices weren’t intended for American consumers, however. Perez Perez then orchestrated their sale abroad, effectively disguising the drug proceeds as legitimate revenue from international trade. Federal investigators weren’t fooled. Between June and August 2020, undercover agents completed four of these laundering “contracts” with Perez Perez, documenting his methods firsthand.
The operation wasn’t limited to controlled buys. In July 2020, the Florida Highway Patrol intervened in a separate contract brokered by Perez Perez, intercepting a money courier and seizing over $1 million in cash – a direct result of the defendant’s criminal enterprise. The bust offered a stark glimpse into the scale of the operation and the vast sums of money flowing through Perez Perez’s network.
Perez Perez pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025, acknowledging his central role in the conspiracy. The investigation was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza skillfully prosecuted the case, building a solid case against Perez Perez.
This case wasn’t an isolated incident. It was part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation – a multi-agency, intelligence-driven initiative aimed at dismantling the most dangerous criminal organizations threatening the nation. OCDETF focuses on hitting these groups at the highest levels, and Perez Perez’s conviction is a clear signal that those who facilitate their crimes will face serious consequences. More information on OCDETF can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related Federal Cases
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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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