Boston, MA. — A New York man has been sentenced for his role in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization uncovered in the greater Boston area.
Rongjian Li, 38, of Staten Island, was sentenced on Oct. 27, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to three years of probation, including one year of home confinement. Afterward, Li must complete 100 hours of community service. He pleaded guilty in February 2025 to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Li was among 12 defendants charged in a May 2023 superseding indictment alleging participation in a multistate network led by Jin Hua Zhang of Staten Island. Prosecutors say the organization laundered at least $25 million in under one year, including bulk cash from drug trafficking and proceeds from overseas fraud schemes that targeted U.S. victims. Those schemes included warranty scams and fraudulent cryptocurrency investment solicitations.
According to investigators, Zhang relied on U.S. bank accounts to move illicit funds, and Li—then a Bank of America employee—helped facilitate the scheme. From 2021 to 2022, Zhang sent runners to Li’s branch, where Li allegedly knew accounts were being opened with fraudulent passports and were intended to launder “scam” money. When suspicious activity alerts froze accounts, Li misused internal systems to help shift funds elsewhere. He was also recorded at a dinner with undercover agents in which Zhang described fee rates charged to criminal groups.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks announced the sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty, and Meghan C. Cleary.
Charges in the superseding indictment remain allegations, and all remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
About the Author
