The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged four individuals with laundering millions of dollars in a scheme involving the sale of illegally slaughtered pigs. Two of those charged, John Brown and Derrick Germaine, are accused of running a scheme that involved illegally slaughtered pigs that were bought and sold at prices far below market value. Brown and Germaine allegedly received payment from buyers in the form of American Express gift cards instead of cash.
The two men are accused of using illegal funds to purchase large amounts of property and luxury cars, using shell corporations to hide the sources of their income. They are also accused of using the illegally slaughtered pigs to purchase large amounts of meat that was then sold in retail locations across the country.
The other two individuals, Rubin Velasquez and Maximo Gonzalez, are charged with aiding Brown and Germaine in laundering the funds. They are accused of buying large amounts of American Express gift cards with money obtained through the illegal pig butchering scheme and then using these cards to purchase goods and services.
The DOJ is seeking the maximum sentences allowed on the charges. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison, $500,000 in fines and forfeiture of any illegally obtained property.
