Two Jamaicans convicted in the US for involvement in international money laundering ring

Two Jamaican men have been convicted in the United States for their involvement in an international money laundering organization that laundered more than US$6 million over five years, starting in 2016.

 

A District Court judge in Massachusetts on Thursday found 61 year-old Saint Devon Anthony Cover, guilty of one count of money laundering conspiracy and seven counts of laundering of monetary instruments. 

 

His co-accused, 59 year old Dennis Raymond Rowe, was found guilty of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering, and two counts of laundering of monetary instruments.

 

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

 

During the four-day jury trial, the court heard that Cover and Rowe participated in a sophisticated international money laundering organization that transferred millions of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through the United States, Caribbean and European banking systems.

 

Cover reportedly laundered approximately US$268,000 and Rowe more than $600,000 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds to undercover law enforcement.

 

The defendants were among 20 individuals from Colombia, Jamaica and Florida who were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022 in connection with the money laundering conspiracy.

 

Their arrests were the result of a multi-agency effort involving the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

 

In addition to the money, nearly 3,000 kilogrammes of cocaine – with a street value of more than US$90 million dollars – was traced back to the money laundering organization. This included approximately 1,193 kilogrammes of cocaine seized at sea, 60 miles south of Jamaica, in July 2019, as well as 1,555 kilogrammes of cocaine seized in nine scrap metal shipping containers at the Port of Buenaventura, Colombia, in March 2019.

 

The charges of money laundering conspiracy and laundering of monetary instruments each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to 500 thousand dollars.