Colombian Businessman Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy

Press Release

Defendant laundered over $1.5 million in drug proceeds

BOSTON - A Colombian businessman has been sentenced for his participation in a money laundering conspiracy.

Willian Acosta-Calderin, 53, was sentenced on May 8, 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 40 months in prison. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In February 2024, Acosta-Calderin pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conducting substantive money laundering transactions.

Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an investigation into a money laundering organization based primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia was conducted. An undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange - a common method of trade-based money laundering used to repatriate the proceeds of drug trafficking to Colombia.

Acosta-Calderin was a business owner in Colombia who used his business bank account to receive drug proceeds in Colombia. During the course of the conspiracy, Acosta-Calderin received over $1.5 million in wire transfers to his account. After receipt, Acosta-Calderin withdrew the funds from his account to pay out the money in Colombia to the owners. Acosta-Calderin also created fake invoices to mask the true source of the funds and evade anti-money laundering protocols. Acosta-Calderin gave the fake invoices to the undercover agent to support the transactions. During text communications with the undercover agent, Acosta-Calderin said that he could receive up to $400,000 at a time without having to worry about regulators.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated May 10, 2024