Four Flight Attendants Arrested for Money Laundering in New York City
In a significant blow to money laundering operations, four flight attendants have been arrested for allegedly smuggling drug trafficking proceeds from the United States to the Dominican Republic on commercial flights.
Arrest and Charges
- Four flight attendants: Charlie Hernandez (42), Sarah Valerio Pujols (42), Emmanuel Torres (34), and Jarol Fabio (35), were arrested on May 7, 2023.
- Agencies involved: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the New York Police Department.
Allegations
The defendants are believed to have smuggled around $8 million in cash from the United States to the Dominican Republic using their trusted “known crewmember” status.
Money Laundering Organization
- The money laundering organization in New York City specialized in the transportation of cash proceeds from narcotics sales.
- The organization corrupted flight attendants by offering them bribes to carry bulk cash and smuggle it through security.
Undercover Sting Operations
- HSI led a series of undercover sting operations leading to the defendants’ arrests.
- Co-conspirators, posing as drug traffickers, provided law enforcement funds in exchange for the defendants smuggling the cash to the Dominican Republic.
Charges and Consequences
Each defendant faces several charges, including operating an unlicensed money transmission business and bulk cash smuggling.
Charges
- Each defendant faces one count of operating an unlicensed money transmission business and entering an airport or aircraft area in violation of security requirements.
- Hernandez and Pujols are also charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmission business.
- Pujols is further charged with one count of bulk cash smuggling.
Penalties
- These offenses carry a maximum sentence of five to ten years in prison.
Quotes
Arvelo: “This case highlights the critical vulnerabilities in the airline security system and demonstrates how narcotics traffickers are adapting their tactics.”
Williams: “Allegedly, these defendants were smuggling millions of dollars in drug money from the United States to the Dominican Republic by manipulating their privileged status as flight attendants.”
About the El Dorado Task Force (EDTF)
- The El Dorado Task Force (EDTF) is a premier money laundering task force in the nation, led by HSI New York.
- The mission of the EDTF is to disrupt, dismantle, or render ineffective organizations involved in the laundering of proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other financial crimes.
- Since its inception in 1992, the task force has seized approximately $600 million and made over 2,100 arrests.