Bergen County Man Charged with Money Laundering Conspiracy After Seizure of More Than $5 Million in Narcotics Proceeds

 NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man made his initial court appearance today on charges of conspiring to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Ramfis Minaya, 23, of Englewood, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Since 2019, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been investigating a drug trafficking and money laundering organization (“DTO/MLO”) operating in Mexico, New York, New Jersey, and elsewhere. During the course of this investigation, law enforcement learned that the organization conducts money laundering transactions through the use of couriers with the objective of repatriating narcotics proceeds to narcotics source countries.

In August 2020, law enforcement identified Minaya as a member of the organization, responsible for the transportation and delivery of significant quantities of narcotics proceeds. Since August 2020, law enforcement has seized more than $5 million from money laundering transactions and stashes of narcotics proceeds in which Minaya was directly involved.

For example, on Oct. 27, 2020, law enforcement officers observed Minaya exit his residence and provide another individual (Individual-2) a bag that was eventually determined to contain approximately $100,000 in narcotics proceeds. Officers later saw Minaya exit his home with a bag that was determined to contain another $100,000 in narcotics proceeds.

The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $500,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents and Task Force Officers with the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to these charges.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Travers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force/Narcotics Unit in Newark.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.