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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

2 clusters · 38 sources · 2 days · First seen 5 days ago · Last updated 4 days ago

Colombia-US cryptocurrency money laundering investigations

Overview

Authorities in Colombia and the United States have targeted a network involved in laundering drug cartel profits through cryptocurrency. In one specific case, Colombian broker Leonardo de Jesus Zuluaga Duque was sentenced in a US federal court to 160 months in prison for his role in a scheme that laundered approximately $14.5 million in Tether. This operation converted narcotics profits into USDT before moving funds through unlicensed exchanges and shell companies to return them to Colombian businesses as pesos. Federal prosecutors noted the broader network, led by Maximilien de Hoop Cartier—who received an eight-year prison sentence—processed a total illicit volume of approximately $470 million.

In a broader crackdown, Colombian authorities coordinated with US intelligence to arrest eight individuals in raids across Bogotá, Barranquilla, Cajicá, and Maicao. Among those detained is Guillermo Carpio Cárdenas, known as ‘Gallo’, allegedly leading a group accused of using digital tokens, third-party transfers, and fractional deposits to hide trafficking funds. The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has issued extradition requests for the detainees. Another detainee, Nassim Orfale Vasquez, faces a New York indictment for allegedly processing more than $42 million in suspicious cryptocurrency transactions since 2018.

In the coordinated operation known as ‘Castillo’, investigators utilized specialized techniques to dismantle the network, including the monitoring of approximately $676,838 in transactions and the controlled delivery of 87 cocaine hydrochloride packages to identify the specific roles of those involved in the trafficking and laundering scheme.

Entities

Leonardo de Jesus Zuluaga Duque · United States District Court for the District of South Florida · Tether · FARC dissidents · Fiscalía General de la Nación

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Willinton Henao Gutiérrez, alias ‘El Mocho Olmedo’, was extradited to the United States. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co · crprensa.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Eight people were arrested in Bogotá, Barranquilla, Maicao, and Cajicá for drug trafficking and money laundering. www.boyacadigital.com · crprensa.com · blockonomi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Guillermo Carpio Cárdenas, known as ‘Gallo’, was identified as a leader of the arrested group. www.boyacadigital.com · crprensa.com · blockonomi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The arrested group used tokens and fractional deposits to hide illicit resources. www.boyacadigital.com · crprensa.com · blockonomi.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Henao Gutiérrez was a leader of the FARC dissident Front 33. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co
[● 2 SOURCES] Nassim Orfale Vásquez is accused of laundering $42 million in cryptocurrency since 2018. www.boyacadigital.com · blockonomi.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico requested the extradition of the arrested group. crprensa.com · blockonomi.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The U.S. District Court for the District of South Florida accuses Henao Gutiérrez of cocaine distribution and money laundering. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co
[● 2 SOURCES] Henao Gutiérrez is accused in Colombia of homicide, forced displacement, and illegal recruitment. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co
[● 2 SOURCES] Six other Colombians were extradited alongside Henao Gutiérrez for drug trafficking, money laundering, and cyber fraud. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co
[● 2 SOURCES] The Colombian Supreme Court approved the extradition on May 28, 2025. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co
[● 2 SOURCES] Henao Gutiérrez's arrest warrant had been suspended due to peace dialogues with the government since 2023. lanotastereo.com.co · larazon.co

Timeline

4 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 31 sources
Colombia extradites FARC dissident leader to the United States
Colombia extradited FARC dissident leader Willinton Henao Gutiérrez, alias ‘El Mocho Olmedo’, to the U.S. for drug trafficking and money laundering, alongside six other accomplices.
5 days ago

[CRIME] 7 sources
Colombian crypto broker sentenced in US money laundering scheme
Colombian broker Leonardo de Jesus Zuluaga Duque received a 160-month US prison sentence for laundering $14.5 million in drug trafficking profits using USDT and unlicensed exchanges.

Sources

aldiaonline.net · blockonomi.com · boyacadigital.com · cablenoticias.tv · columnadigital.com · correiodecarajas.com.br · criptonoticias.com.br · crprensa.com · diarioevolucion.com.mx · diarioonline.com.br · diarioriente.com · eje21.com.co · elblogdelministro.com · eldia.com.do · eldiario.com · elespectador.com · elfinanciero.com.mx · elnuevodia.com.co · elnuevosiglo.com.co · extra.ec · gazetaweb.com · grupoparanacomunicacao.com.br · lanotastereo.com.co · laopinion.com.co · lapatilla.com · larazon.co · lineadirectaportal.com · minuto30.com · newsbtc.com · rli.blogs.sas.ac.uk · rpp.pe · sapo.pt · soudesergipe.com.br · talcualdigital.com · telemarcampeche.com · tribunademexico.com · uruguayaldia.com.uy · xeu.mx

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history