Arafat Aljubeh, Money Laundering, Florida 2024

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Arafat Aljubeh, 54, of Tampa, Florida, has admitted to washing dirty money earned from a large-scale synthetic marijuana ring. The guilty plea comes while Aljubeh was already under federal supervision for a 2014 conviction related to trafficking in counterfeit Nike shoes – proving a criminal record doesn’t always deter repeat offenses.

The case stems from a 2017 Florida Highway Patrol traffic stop in Baker County. Trooper encountered Thair Zatar, who consented to a vehicle search. Inside, they found a staggering 415 pounds of synthetic marijuana, packaged into 27,000 individual packets labeled as innocuous “potpourri” and branded with names like “Outer Space” and “Geeked Up.” The DEA later confirmed the packets contained AB-FUBINACA, a dangerous synthetic cannabinoid.

Zatar quickly ratted out his supplier: Arafat Aljubeh. Zatar later pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute AB-FUBINACA and received a four-year and three-month federal prison sentence in 2018. But the investigation didn’t stop there. Authorities began digging into the financial trail left by the drug operation.

A review of Zatar’s phone records revealed instructions for depositing the proceeds from the drug sales. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) traced the funds to multiple accounts used to collect money from Zatar and other distributors. Aljubeh and his accomplices then engaged in a complex web of transactions, shuffling money between accounts to deliberately obscure its origin and ownership. This wasn’t just hiding money; it was an elaborate attempt to legitimize criminal gains.

The dirty money wasn’t stashed in mattresses. It was used to purchase real estate – five properties in the Tampa area, to be precise. Aljubeh attempted to build a legitimate facade using the profits of poison peddling. Now, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy, *plus* up to two years for violating the terms of his supervised release from the prior counterfeiting conviction. That’s a potential 22-year stay in a federal facility.

The investigation was a joint effort by the DEA, HSI, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Jay Taylor are prosecuting the case. This bust sends a clear message: even when you think you’ve covered your tracks, law enforcement will follow the money – and bring you to justice.

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