The indictment further alleges that Irizarry and Gomez used drug proceeds to purchase jewelry, a home and multiple luxury vehicles for themselves and their family. Irizarry and Gomez made their first appearance in U.S. Former DEA agent and his wife indicted for alleged roles in scheme to divert drug proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations | ICE Your Ad Choices Corruption and betrayal of the American people - the very people we stand to protect – have no place at DEA, and neither does Mr. Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. "Thankfully, the vast majority of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers vigilantly honor the badge, and we take great pride in teaming up with them. Irizarry and Gomez-Irizarry are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Meet the top candidates. Jose Irizarry pleaded guilty Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 in Tampa, Fla., to federal bank fraud, conspiracy and other charges. As part of his plea, he admitted that soon after his bankruptcy was filed he began to exploit his position of public trust as a special agent to divert funds from undercover DEA money laundering investigations to himself and to co-conspirators. Federal prosecutors in Florida allege that the once-standout agent Irizarry used his “position and his special access to information” to keep millions in drug proceeds out of the hands of the DEA. Quiz: Who played these historical figures in biographical films? “BJay” Pak for the Northern District of Georgia. U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson accepted the guilty pleas in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Irizarry and Gomez made their first appearance in U.S. District Court in San Juan Friday and were released on bond. The indictment alleges that while working as an agent for the DEA in Miami and Cartagena, Colombia, Irizarry engaged in an illegal scheme to divert drug proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations into bank accounts controlled by himself and Gomez, their family members, and their criminal associates. Gomez-Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. Pa. postal worker denies recanting ballot-tampering claim “I’ve never seen a DEA agent charged with so many counts.”. Some of the money allegedly was used to buy a $30,000 Tiffany diamond ring, a 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder and a home in Puerto Rico, where the couple had been living. Quiz: Can you pass a pandemics, plagues and infectious diseases test? Jose Ismael Irizarry, 46, and his wife, Nathalia Gomez-Irizarry, 36, admitted to participating in a seven-year scheme to divert over $9 million in drug proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations into bank accounts that they and co-conspirators controlled. The U.S. Corruption and betrayal of the American people - the very people we stand to protect – have no place at DEA, and neither does Mr. Irizarry.”, “It’s never pleasant to employ our unique financial investigative skills against a member of the law enforcement community, but no one dislikes a bad cop more than a good cop,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Tampa Field Office. Irizarry is accused of filing false reports starting around 2011 and allegedly ordered DEA staff to wire money slated for undercover stings to international accounts he controlled. Irizarry and Gomez made their first appearance in U.S. District Court in San Juan today and were released on bond. Irizarry used his ill-gotten gains to buy a $30,000 Tiffany diamond ring, a BMW, three Land Rovers and a $767,000 home in Cartagena, a popular destination for tourists. Quiz: US Citizenship Test - Could You Pass? The scheme lasted throughout Irizarry’s assignments to the DEA’s Miami Field Division and to its office in Cartagena, Colombia. Click to Read More Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, honest services wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft, and aggravated identity theft. U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson accepted the guilty pleas in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The U.S. "Irizarry's conduct enabled criminals, endangered the public, and jeopardized public trust in law enforcement. Trial Attorneys Joseph Palazzo and Mark A. Irish of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine of the Northern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case. The FBI arrested Jose I. Irizarry, 46, and Nathalia Gomez-Irizarry (Gomez), 36, this morning at their residence near San Juan, Puerto Rico. Irizarry and Gomez-Irizarry are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Irizarry filed for personal bankruptcy protection in December of 2010. Jose Irizarry and his wife were arrested Friday at their home near San Juan, Puerto Rico, as part of a 19-count federal indictment that accused the 46-year-old Irizarry of “secretly using his position and his special access to information” to divert millions in drug proceeds from control of … ICE executes its mission through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes, focusing on preventing terrorism, immigration enforcement and combating transnational crime. Gomez-Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The couple were arrested in Puerto Rico last week and released on $10,000 bond each. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "He and his wife now stand as convicted felons, potentially facing years in federal prison with little to show for the betrayal of his oath to uphold the law.". Gomez is charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. They are now scheduled to appear in court in Florida next month in a case whose star witness is a former DEA informant. “It’s a black eye for the DEA to have one of its own engaged in such a high level of corruption,” said Mike Vigil, the DEA’s former Chief of International Operations told the AP. "It's never pleasant to employ our unique financial investigative skills against a member of the law enforcement community, but no one dislikes a bad cop more than a good cop," said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of the IRS Criminal Investigation's (IRS-CI) Tampa Field Office. The DEA hired Irizarry despite indications he showed signs of deception in a polygraph exam and allowed him to handle financial transactions. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Catch up on ICE’s most popular news stories from the week ending March 25, 2016. Diverted funds were then used to purchase jewelry, luxury cars, and a home. Biden remains vague on how he will address pandemics, climate change and China, Political defeats, as well as victories, are temporary. Look out below: Horrifying pic shows snake eel burst out of bird's stomach in midair. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and District of Puerto Rico, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalia General de la Nacion) and the South Florida Money Laundering Strike Force at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Irizarry wasn’t alone in his scheme, the feds charged. “Law enforcement, at any level, is based upon integrity and public trust. This story has been shared 260,697 times. - Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. ", "Irizarry joined forces with the same criminal drug organizations he promised to investigate and prosecute, "said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 15-Sep-2020, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and Certification, Employers engaged in a trade or business who pay compensation, Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Former DEA agent and his wife plead guilty for roles in scheme to divert drug proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations. For media inquiries about ICE activities, operations, or policies, contact the ICE Office of Public Affairs at (202) 732-4646. 112,547, This story has been shared 83,505 times. Click here for the latest ICE guidance on COVID-19. Ted Nugent rails against ‘thug’ George Floyd more than five months after death sparked protests, Candace Owens sues Facebook fact-checkers for defamation: ‘I’m sick of the censorship’, Pope Francis continues to forgo a face mask in public, Sen. Pat Toomey: ‘Woke left had a major setback’ as voters reject ‘radicalism’. Privacy Notice A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. We've received your submission. José Irizarry clasped the leg of Nathalia Gómez-Irizarry as the couple sat quietly in Puerto Rico‘s federal court for an hour before the hearing, barely talking. To carry out the plot, Irizarry and his criminal associates are alleged to have opened a bank account with a stolen identity and then utilized the account to secretly send and receive drug proceeds from active DEA investigations. Quiz: Can you pass a dictators, despots and tyrants history test? TAMPA – A 19-count indictment was unsealed Friday against a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent and his wife for their alleged roles to divert drug proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations into bank accounts they, along with family members and criminal associates, controlled. Sitemap Jose Irizarry and his wife were arrested Friday at their home near San Juan, Puerto Rico, as part of a 19-count federal indictment that accused the 46-year-old Irizarry of “secretly using his position and his special access to information” to divert millions in drug proceeds from control of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The FBI arrested Jose I. Irizarry, 46, and Nathalia Gomez-Irizarry (Gomez), 36, this morning at their residence near San Juan, Puerto Rico. "Sworn law enforcement agents are entrusted with great responsibility, and the department will hold accountable those who exploit their positions to profit from public corruption. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and District of Puerto Rico, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalia General de la Nacion) and the South Florida Money Laundering Strike Force at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office provided valuable investigative assistance in this case. ICE executes its mission through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes, and focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and trade. The feds arrested a star US Drug Enforcement Administration agent who they say has been living a high-flying lifestyle while secretly laundering money for the Colombian drug cartel he was supposedly investigating, a report said Friday. 260,697, This story has been shared 112,547 times. The U.S. host? DEA employees work tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe from drug-related crime, and former DEA Special Agent Jose Irizarry's criminal actions do not reflect the high standards of conduct we demand of our employees and our agents. "By working in partnership with federal, state, local and international partners, this investigation is a prime example of law enforcement agencies working collaboratively in pursuit of justice. 83,505, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Official websites use .gov Gomez-Irizarry admitted that she allowed her bank accounts and a Florida corporation in her name to be used in the scheme. “By working in partnership with federal, state, local and international partners, this investigation is a prime example of law enforcement agencies working collaboratively in pursuit of justice.”, “Rather than upholding his oath to stop drug trafficking and money laundering, Irizarry actively participated in these schemes and collected millions of dollars for himself and his associates,” said Special Agent in Charge James F. Boyersmith of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Miami Field Office.
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