A US court has sentenced former US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent Jose Irizarry to over 12 years in prison for operating a money laundering and fraud scheme while working for the DEA. In September 2020, Irizarry had pleaded guilty to money laundering, honest services wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, among other crimes.
Beginning in 2010, Irizarry misused his DEA position to transfer over $9 million from undercover DEA money laundering investigations to a bank account belonging to himself and his co-conspirators. Notably, the conspirators had used a stolen identity to open the bank account that received the illicit money. Irizarry received bribes and kickbacks worth over $1 million for himself and his family in return for facilitating the transfer of illicit funds. He and his family used this money to purchase jewelry, luxury vehicles and a house.
Irizarry will have to pay $11,233 in restitution and forfeit his interests in luxury goods related to the illicit funds. He will also have to begin serving his prison sentence immediately.
Source: US Department of Justice