VIRGINIA
The leader of a money-laundering network was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds on behalf of foreign drug trafficking organizations, officials stated.
According to court documents, Xizhi Li, 48, a U.S. citizen who previously resided in Mexico, led a years-long scheme to launder money on behalf of transnational drug trafficking organizations.
To carry out the scheme, officials stated Li and his conspirators used a foreign casino; foreign and domestic front companies; foreign and domestic bank accounts. Some were opened under fictitious identities; encrypted communications platforms; and false identification documents, officials stated.
Li often dealt directly with members of drug trafficking organizations or their representatives to obtain “contracts” to move their drug proceeds.
Once Li and his co-conspirators obtained a “contract” to launder drug proceeds, they would engage in financial transactions that were designed to conceal the illicit source of the original proceeds in return for the payment of commissions, according to officials.
On Aug. 2, Li pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. Tuesday, Li signed a consent order of forfeiture for $10 million to the federal government as part of his plea agreement, according to officials.