SCRANTON, PA – A husband-and-wife team operating a money transmitter service in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, are facing federal prison time after admitting to laundering drug money for criminals sending funds to the Dominican Republic. The scheme, uncovered by a joint DEA and IRS investigation, involved deliberately structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.
German Ossa-Rocha, 50, and his wife, Mirela Desouza, 46, formerly owned Tropical Express, a business used as a conduit for illicit funds. According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the pair conspired with others to move the proceeds of unlawful activity south of the border. The operation ran from approximately January 2008 through December 2011, allowing drug traffickers to obscure the origin of their cash.
Federal investigators determined that Ossa-Rocha and Desouza intentionally broke down larger sums of money into smaller transactions—a practice known as “structuring”—to avoid triggering mandatory reporting thresholds under both state and federal law. The total amount of funds laundered through Tropical Express is estimated at approximately $340,000. These funds were then transmitted via wire transfers to accounts in the Dominican Republic.
Ossa-Rocha was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 9, 2015, and ultimately pleaded guilty. Desouza bypassed the grand jury process, opting to plead guilty to a felony information on June 11, 2015. Both defendants accepted responsibility for their roles in facilitating the criminal enterprise.
On October 25, 2016, United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Ossa-Rocha to 27 months in federal prison, followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Desouza received an 18-month prison sentence, also followed by two years of supervised release, handed down on October 26, 2016. The sentences reflect the seriousness of the offense and the attempt to undermine financial regulations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski, with significant investigative work conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service. This conviction serves as a warning that those who facilitate criminal activity through financial manipulation will be held accountable under federal law. # # #
Related Federal Cases
- McKay Faces Life in Prison: 79 Counts in Drug, Gun, Money Scheme · Pennsylvania
- DC Cop Pleads Guilty to Drug Money Laundering · Maryland
- Wheeler Indicted in Decade-Long Cocaine & Money Laundering Scheme · Pennsylvania
- Laforte’s Empire Crumbles: Drug Kingpin Laid to Rest · Pennsylvania
- Laforte’s Drug Ring Collapsed by Feds · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
