Minneapolis Man Accused of Helping Mexican Cartel Launder Drug Money
Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota Now) -- A 46-year-old Minneapolis man is accused of using his job at a Minnesota money transmitting business to help a Mexican drug cartel move hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds back to Mexico.
A federal grand jury indicted Christopher A. Bravo Marin on August 20, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. He was arrested Monday by Homeland Security Investigations agents and appeared Tuesday in federal court in Minneapolis.
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Prosecutors accuse Bravo of conspiring with members of a CJNG drug distribution operation in Minnesota to launder at least $750,000 between February 2023 and February 2026.
The Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, or CJNG, is one of Mexico's major drug trafficking organizations.
How investigators say the scheme worked
According to the indictment, Bravo allegedly used his position at the money transmitter, along with his knowledge of the company's anti-money laundering procedures, to get around its safeguards.
Prosecutors say he broke larger amounts of money into multiple transfers, keeping each one below $1,000. That amount was the company's threshold for collecting and verifying a customer's identification.
Bravo allegedly created fake Hispanic names to use as the senders and used names provided by cartel members for people in Mexico who would receive the money.
After processing the transfers, prosecutors say Bravo forged the senders' signatures on payment receipts and sent screenshots of those receipts to his alleged co-conspirators. The screenshots were then used to help the recipients collect the money in Mexico.
In exchange, cartel members allegedly paid Bravo about $40 to $50 for each transfer he laundered.
“This defendant strengthened a criminal infrastructure by helping transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds to cartel leaders,” U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said in a statement.
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HSI Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard said the investigation shows the importance of federal, state and local agencies working together to target transnational criminal activity.
Bravo is charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if he is convicted.
