A federal court in Brazil has sentenced 14 people to prison for laundering more than 508 million reais ($95 million) from international drug trafficking and other violent crimes, capping a years-long investigation into a sophisticated criminal network spanning several states.
The group’s two leaders were each sentenced to more than 21 years in prison, with other sentences ranging from 8 to 17 years. All defendants were ordered to repay the entire laundered amount, and assets, including seized planes and luxury cars, were forfeited to the federal government.
The operation, called Terra Fertil, uncovered a scheme using fake companies in two different states to hide drug profits.
Prosecutors said the group operated a multi-tiered structure with distinct roles: Executives directed the flow of funds, mid-level operators served as fronts for the companies, and an accounting arm kept the network running through false documents and financial deception.
According to the judgment, the network’s strategy followed a process that began with the placement of illicit funds into the system through small bank deposits, layering through fake corporate activities and foreign exchange operations, and integration through the purchase of luxury assets.
Prosecutors cited examples such as planes registered to a bikini store and high-end real estate.
The group also used the dollar-cabo system, a parallel method of international money transfer, and transferred large amounts using crypto, according to authorities. Local media Livecoins cites bitcoin use among the cryptocurrencies used.
The court’s decision can be appealed.
