A federal grand jury has charged two Chinese nationals with operating an extensive international money laundering network allegedly used by major Mexican drug cartels to move narcotics proceeds around the world.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that an indictment unsealed Wednesday in the Eastern District of Virginia charges Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu with conspiracy to commit money laundering on behalf of transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación.
According to court documents, the conspiracy allegedly operated from at least November 2016 through April 2025 and involved moving substantial amounts of narcotics proceeds derived from the sale of illicit drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl.
Prosecutors allege Zhen, Wu, and their co-conspirators used a variety of sophisticated techniques to conceal and transfer criminal proceeds. These methods allegedly included mirror transfers, foreign bank accounts, encrypted communications platforms, serial-number verification systems, and trade-based money laundering schemes.
Federal authorities say the network operated across the United States, Mexico, China, Latin America, and other regions, helping criminal organizations move money generated from drug trafficking while avoiding detection by law enforcement.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 24, 2025. Both defendants remain at large.
If convicted, Zhen and Wu each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing would be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, with support from numerous DEA domestic and international offices, including operations in Colombia and the United Arab Emirates.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and DEA Special Operations Division Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx announced the charges.
The Justice Department said the case is part of Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative focused on combating cartels, transnational criminal organizations, illegal immigration, and violent crime.
Officials also highlighted the role of the Department’s Money Laundering and Narcotics Forfeiture Section, which targets financial facilitators and organizations that help criminal enterprises conceal and move illicit proceeds through the global financial system.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
