The Southern District of New York has unveiled a superseding indictment charging Maximilien de Hoop Cartier, 57, who claims lineage from the famed Cartier family, along with five Colombian nationals, for their involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering scheme. The network allegedly facilitated the laundering of millions in drug proceeds through cryptocurrency transactions extending from the U.S. to Colombia.
The indictment reveals that the defendants orchestrated a complex operation converting drug money into Tether—a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar—before funneling it through U.S. financial systems. The funds were then wired to shell companies in Colombia managed by the accused, further concealing the illicit origin of the money.
The Argentinian national Maximilien de Hoop Cartier, arrested in Miami, is portrayed as a pivotal figure in this operation. He reportedly established a network of U.S.-based shell companies to run an unlicensed cryptocurrency exchange, thereby bypassing regulatory scrutiny and facilitating large-scale money laundering activities. From approximately May to November 2023, Cartier and his associates are accused of laundering about $14.5 million derived directly from narcotics trafficking.
Moreover, the network’s criminal activities extended beyond money laundering. The indictment also charges Leonardo de Jesus Zuluaga Duque, Erica Milena Lopez Ortiz, and brothers Alexander Areiza Ceballos and Adrian Areiza Ceballos with conspiring to import over 100 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Undercover operations and law enforcement interventions led to significant narcotics seizures and provided concrete evidence linking the suspects to drug trafficking.
The case sheds light on the increasing use of digital currencies in criminal enterprises and highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in adapting to these new technological fronts.
As the legal proceedings advance, the focus remains on unraveling the full extent of this laundering operation and holding those responsible accountable. This case underscores the critical need for robust international cooperation and stringent oversight in both the financial and cryptocurrency sectors to prevent similar exploits in the future.
