A federal court in Brazil sentenced 14 people to prison for laundering more than 508 million reais ($95 million) from international drug trafficking and other violent crimes, ending a years-long investigation into a sophisticated criminal network spanning several states.
The two group leaders were each sentenced to over 21 years in prison, while other sentences ranged from 8 to 17 years. All defendants were ordered to repay the full amount laundered, and assets, including seized aircraft and luxury cars, were forfeited to the federal government.
The operation, dubbed Terra Fértil, uncovered a scheme that used shell companies across two different states to hide drug profits.
Prosecutors said the group ran a layered structure with separate roles: management controlled the flow of funds, mid-level operatives served as frontmen for the companies, and an accounting arm kept the network running through false documents and financial tricks.
According to the verdict, the network’s strategy followed a process that started with placing illicit funds in the system through small bank deposits, layering through fake corporate activity and foreign exchange transactions, and integration through the purchase of luxury assets.
Prosecutors cited examples such as aircraft registered under a bikini boutique and high-end real estate.
The group also used dólar-cabo system, a parallel international money transfer method, and moved large sums of money using crypto, according to authorities. Local news media Livecoins cites the use of bitcoin among the cryptocurrencies being used.
The court’s decision can be appealed.
