A former agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was indicted in a federal court in New York for conspiring to launder millions of dollars allegedly belonging to the Mexican criminal organization Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The defendant, identified as 61-year-old Paul Campo, worked for the DEA for approximately 25 years, first in New York, eventually becoming deputy director of the financial operations office, according to the indictment reported by The New York Times.
Campo and his associate, 75-year-old Robert Sensi, allegedly laundered approximately $750,000 of what they believed to be drug proceeds from the cartel, converted it into cryptocurrency, and agreed to increase the laundered amount to $12 million.
Campo and Sensi believed they were dealing with a cartel member at the meetings where they discussed their plans, but in reality, it was a DEA informant who was delivering the cash they would launder.
There is no evidence that Campo or Sensi had any contact with actual members of the CJNG—designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)—or that the money used in the investigation was intended for the group, the Times notes.
According to the indictment, Campo and Sensi met with the DEA informant twice in March.
The first meeting, in New York, involved the informant telling them that the cartel had operations throughout the United States and needed a reliable method to move money from the country to Mexico. The second meeting took place in Florida.
During these meetings, Campo explained to the alleged cartel member the various ways he could launder the drug money. These activities included real estate, prepaid cards, and smuggling cash, according to the indictment.
It also states that during meetings with the informant, the now-accused had agreed to explore acquiring commercial drones, weapons, and military equipment for the cartel, including AR-15 and M16 rifles, M4 carbines, grenade launchers, and rocket-propelled grenades.
Campo and Sensi were charged with various conspiracy counts: to commit narcoterrorism, distribute narcotics, provide material support to a terrorist organization, and engage in money laundering.
