https://hoodline.com/2023/12/pico-rivera-man-convicted-in-15-5m-international-money-laundering-scheme-the-englishman-awaits-sentencing/
The takedown of a nefarious money laundering network has culminated in the conviction of a third cohort, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. Gustavo Adolfo Aldana-Martinez, a 57-year-old Pico Rivera resident, was convicted on counts of conspiracy to launder money after a jury in Los Angeles federal court reached a verdict late Friday.
During the three-day trial, evidence showed Aldana-Martinez methodically accepted wire-transferred drug profits from an undercover account managed by the DEA, funneling almost $300,000 into his sham business account. The money is then wired out to unrelated entities, buying electronics ultimately sold in Colombia and Mexico producing about $15.5 million in cleaned drug money, between 2015 and 2017.
"The Englishman" – Daniel Shaun Zilke, 48, currently residing in Mexico City, masterminded the operation and pled guilty on December 8 to multiple charges, including conspiracy to aid and abet drug distribution and conspiracy to launder money. He even admitted to obstruction by pilfering $150,000 from DEA undercover funds, according to Justice Department announcements.
Jeffrey Mark Thompson, 62, from Texas, also pleaded guilty, owning up to laundering drug proceeds using a bank account under the guise of his charity, Peace Through Water Foundation. Although these convictions promise justice, a fourth conspirator, Juan Rachid Dergal-Zulbaran, remains at large.
An extensive investigation into Zilke’s operation initiated in late 2015 revealed an intricate web of illegal money movements spanning across borders, utilizing cash-intensive businesses to launder cash pickups from various U.S. cities straight into the pockets of global drug lords. Zilke even attempted to cooperate with the DEA in 2019 but ended up stealing from them, sowing deceit further within the threads of his criminal tapestry, only to be caught in his web of lies.
The fallout from this case sees the convicted parties facing potentially lengthy federal prison terms. Zilke awaits his sentence on April 1, 2024, with Thompson and Aldana-Martinez slated for April 8, 2024.
