Sixth Defendant Pleads Guilty for Role in Conspiracy to Launder Tens of Millions of Dollars in Illicit Cash Proceeds

Five of the Six Defendants are Illegal Aliens A Brazilian man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida accepted the guilty plea today. On June 1, the district court also accepted the guilty pleas of five co-defendants. According to court documents, Omar Aliperti De Mello Correa, 34, a U.S. citizen residing in Orlando; Ygor Fokin Saviolli, 35, a Brazilian national; Gabriel Cezar Menezes, 29, a Brazilian national; Joao Andrade De Mello, 29, a Brazilian national; Tadeu Sebastiane Rabelo Alves Barbosa, 30, a Brazilian national; and Leandro De Avila Goncalves, 42, a Brazilian national, all illegally residing in Orlando, were part of a sophisticated money laundering organization that operated across the United States and spanned several countries. Members of the conspiracy arranged for bulk cash proceeds from the sale of controlled substances to be received by U.S.-based couriers and deposited at banks across the country in order to conceal and return those profits to, among others, the sources of drug supply operating outside the United States. Dozens of pickups across the country were coordinated through WhatsApp message chains that included facilitators and couriers. Saviolli provided upfront funds to facilitate the operations of the money laundering organization and oversaw the receipt and laundering of the bulk cash drug proceeds. Menezes also served as a facilitator, providing direction to and oversight of couriers, and personally picked up bulk cash on multiple occasions. Correa, De Mello, Barbosa, and Goncalves all served as couriers for the money laundering organization, conducting bulk cash pickups in cities including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Rochester, New York, and Tampa, among others. During the course of the conspiracy, the organization concealed more than $30 million in cash. Saviolli, whose plea was accepted today, and the five co-defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Saviolli is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11. Menezes, Correa, De Mello, Barbosa, and Goncalves are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.