CINCINNATI – A shocking case of money laundering has come to light in Cincinnati, with a local business owner pleading guilty to laundering $20,000 in what she believed were narcotics proceeds.
Teodora Meza, 52, the owner of La Marketa, a specialty market on Fields Ertel Road in Cincinnati, admitted to sending what she believed were proceeds of drug trafficking via international wire transfers on behalf of clients.
According to her plea agreement, from October to December 2023, Meza sent wire transfers to Mexico on behalf of an individual claiming to be a drug trafficker. Meza, a seemingly trusted businesswoman, even educated the individual on how to conceal the transfers by structuring them to avoid reporting requirements.
But what Meza didn’t know was that she was being watched by law enforcement, who had been monitoring her activities as part of a nationwide initiative to combat transnational crime.
Meza accepted and provided false information and identities to conceal the nature and source of the funds, demonstrating a clear disregard for the law and a willingness to engage in illicit activities.
The case against Meza is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of law enforcement to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case, with Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott presiding over the proceedings. The guilty plea entered today marks a significant blow to the ongoing efforts of transnational crime syndicates operating in the United States.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, have announced the guilty plea, vowing to continue their efforts to combat organized crime and protect the community.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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