A former Drug Enforcement Administration Agent, Jose Ismael Irizarry, who was sent to Cartagena for an investigation into a money laundering case by some notorious Colombia’s violent drug cartel has been charged with money laundering. Irizarry allegedly worked with a Colombia drug dealer to launder money recovered from an undercover drug operation and used it to purchase a Tiffany Diamond ring, a Land Rover worth $135,000 and a home in Cartagena. Hew was later arrested along with his wife o Friday close to their home in San Juan PR. Charges pressed against him include conspiracy to launder money, honest services wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, among others, and his wife, 36 was charged with conspiracy to launder money.
19-count indictment was filed against Mr Irizarry in a federal court on Wednesday indicating that he was involved in a “corrupt scheme”. He was accused of diverting drugs proceed fromD.E.A control to himself and his conspirators. One of the conspirators was the leader of a Columbia drug-trafficking organization, the second was indicated to be a Columbia official who has purchased Lamborghini Spyder with $329,000 drug money. It was recalled that this month, Fernando Gomez, who is a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent was sentenced for four years for involvement in conspiracy to help drug traffickers in Puerto Ricoeveade law enforcement.
