Horses in money laundering case sold for $US8.8 million
American government conduct maintain banked most $US8.8 i G m from the sale of to a greater extent than than 300 quarter horses allegedly at the centre of a money-laundering functioning for a Mexican drugs cartel.
The horses, many from piece of employment yesteryear breeding lines, went nether the hammer at final week’s Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale in Oklahoma.
The sale of the horses was undertaken amongst the understanding of the defendants inward the case. Costs of caring for the horses since their seizure inward June has been substantial, amongst some estimates putting it at upward to $US200,000 a month.
The animals were seized by federal government inward June inward relation to an indictment, returned on May 30, 2012, that charges fourteen defendants amongst i count of conspiracy to wash monetary instruments. Some of those named inward the indictment stay fugitives inward Mexico.
Authorities allege the defendants laundered the drugs cash through a quarter Equus caballus racing functioning centered inward Oklahoma.
United States Attorney Robert Pitman and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Special Agent inward Charge Steve McCollough confirmed this calendar week that the horses had sold for about $US8.8 million.
Two-thirds of the horses were sold through the auction, including A Dash of Sweet Heat, who went for $US1 million.
About 100 broodmares were sold earlier the auction for $35,000, they said.
Federal government all the same retain possession of most 45 quarter horses, including Tempting Dash, winner of the Dash for Cash at Lone Star Park race rails inward Grand Prairie, Texas, on October 24, 2009; Mr Piloto, $US1 i G m All American Futurity winner at Ruidoso Downs on Labor Day, 2010; Dashin Follies; Separate Fire; in addition to Y516, a yearling seized on Zule Farms inward Lexington, OK.
Those horses are expected to locomote auctioned or sold at a afterwards date.
Pitman said the proceeds from the sales volition locomote held inward escrow pending a forfeiture action. The defendants inward the instance volition aspect upward criminal trial inward the spring,
Court documents allege that the horses were bought yesteryear in addition to for members of the Los Zetas drug cartel with proceeds from narcotics trafficking.
“Like all criminal organizations, the Zetas are motivated yesteryear money,” Pitman said.
“Identifying in addition to taking their assets is an of import agency to lay an axe to the origin of the tree. If successful, the forfeiture of these assets volition stand upward for a major pace inward our efforts to interrupt the cartel’s activity inside the United States.”
McCullough said: “This investigation has helped to disrupt this alleged international drug cartel’s US-based money-laundering operations in addition to demonstrates the lengths that US constabulary enforcement volition larn to deprive criminal organizations of
the fruits of their illegal activities.”
The indictment inward the instance alleges that, since 2008, Miguel in addition to Oscar Trevino-Morales had directed portions of the mass cash generated from the sale of illegal narcotics through the Los Zetas cartel to Jose in addition to Zulema Trevino for purchasing, training, breeding in addition to racing quarter horses inward the US.
The indictment identifies millions of dollars worth of transactions inward New Mexico, Oklahoma, California in addition to Texas involving a large publish of quarter horses.
Jose Trevino, Zulema Trevino in addition to others used “front” companies to conceal in addition to disguise the truthful ownership of the quarter horses, the government allege.
As good every bit the horses, the indictment too seeks the forfeiture of farm in addition to ranch equipment, horse-racing equipment, existent estate inward Lexington, Oklahoma, in addition to inward Bastrop County, Texas; in addition to funds inward 3 banking concern accounts allegedly used inward the defendants’ scheme.
The indictment too seeks $US20 million, representing the total of coin derived from the defendants’ scheme.
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