Minneapolis, August 26: The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the arrest of a Mexican national working at a money transfer company in Minnesota. He is accused of aiding in the money laundering of $750,000 in alleged drug profits for one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels.
Christopher A. Bravo Marin, 46, is charged with using his knowledge of his employer’s rules and investigative procedures to circumvent anti-money laundering controls. He allegedly facilitated the transfer of funds to leaders of the “Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación” (CJNG) based in Mexico.
A federal grand jury in Minnesota issued an indictment against him on August 20. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested Bravo on Monday, and he appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tyson Duva stated, “The indictment alleges that this individual exploited his position at a financial institution to assist the CJNG cartel in sending and laundering drug sales proceeds back to Mexico.”
According to the Justice Department, the alleged conspiracy ran from at least February 2023 to February 2026. During this time, Bravo reportedly collaborated with members of a CJNG drug distribution network active in Minnesota. He is accused of processing the group’s illegal earnings through his money transfer company.
Prosecutors claim that Bravo divided the funds into smaller amounts, keeping each transfer just under $1,000. This was significant because the company’s policies required customer identification documentation and verification for transactions of $1,000 or more.
Bravo allegedly created fake Hispanic names for the senders. He then sent the money to individuals in Mexico whose names were provided by cartel members, who were not the actual beneficiaries. After each transaction, Bravo reportedly forged the sender’s signature and sent payment confirmation receipts to his alleged accomplices to facilitate the withdrawal of funds in Mexico.
According to the allegations, cartel members paid Bravo between $40 and $50 for each transfer. Duva emphasized that cartels rely on such financial accomplices to ensure that money earned from serious crimes in the U.S. reaches their leaders in Mexico. The Criminal Division is fully committed to its mission of eliminating profits from crime, which includes prosecuting those who assist in funneling drug money to cartel management.
Daniel N. Rosen, the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, stated that the accused allegedly helped strengthen the cartel’s criminal infrastructure by transferring millions of dollars earned from drug trafficking. Bravo faces a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which could result in a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted.
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