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US Accuses Mexican National in Minnesota of Laundering $750,000 for CJNG Cartel
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

US Accuses Mexican National in Minnesota of Laundering $750,000 for CJNG Cartel

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A Mexican national residing in Minnesota has been indicted in the U.S. for money laundering on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
  • The accused allegedly used his position at a money transfer company to launder at least $750,000 from drug trafficking proceeds, sending the funds back to Mexico.
  • He is accused of circumventing anti-money laundering controls by breaking down transfers to keep them below reporting thresholds and using fictitious sender and receiver names.

U.S. authorities have indicted a Mexican national living in Minnesota on charges of money laundering for the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Christopher A. Bravo Marín, 46, a resident of Minneapolis, was accused by a federal grand jury on August 20 of laundering at least $750,000 in drug trafficking proceeds for the cartel.

Bravo abused his position at a financial institution to help the cartel CJNG launder money from its drug sales and send it back to Mexico.

— A. Tysen DuvaAssistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division stated the accusation against Bravo.

Bravo was arrested on August 24 and appeared before a judge in Minneapolis. Prosecutors allege that Bravo exploited his position at a Minnesota-based money transfer company to help the CJNG launder money from its drug sales and repatriate the profits to Mexico. "Cartels rely on financial facilitators to ensure cartel leaders in Mexico receive the proceeds of the heinous crimes they commit here in the United States," stated Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. "The Criminal Division is relentless in its mission to strip away the profits of crime, including by prosecuting those who help funnel drug trafficking proceeds to cartel leadership."

Cartels rely on financial facilitators to ensure cartel leaders in Mexico receive the proceeds of the heinous crimes they commit here in the United States.

— A. Tysen DuvaAssistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division commented on the importance of financial facilitators for cartels.

According to the indictment, Bravo allegedly worked from February 2023 to February 2026, using his knowledge of his employer's compliance policies to bypass anti-money laundering controls. He is accused of breaking down large sums into multiple transfers, each just under $1,000, the threshold requiring customer identification. Bravo reportedly used fake Hispanic names as senders and sent funds to fictitious recipients in Mexico provided by cartel members. He allegedly received between $40 and $50 per transfer he processed.

The Criminal Division is relentless in its mission to strip away the profits of crime, including by prosecuting those who help funnel drug trafficking proceeds to cartel leadership.

— A. Tysen DuvaAssistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division emphasized the department's commitment to dismantling cartel finances.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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