San Diego City Wire

Juan Pablo Prada Bernal of Colombia was sentenced in federal court today to 40 months in prison for participating in an international money laundering conspiracy involving more than $3 million in proceeds obtained through phone scams.

At today’s hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew G. Schopler also ordered Bernal to pay $327,040.72 in restitution to 27 victims of the offense.

According to his plea agreement, between June 2018 and March 2020, Bernal was a member of an international conspiracy that laundered large amounts of money. The conspiracy involved two sides: those responsible for contacting victims by phone and tricking them into sending thousands of dollars to U.S.-based bank accounts, and those responsible for laundering the proceeds through those bank accounts. The money launderers received and transferred the ill-gotten gains to their co-conspirators in Colombia and the United States, concealing the nature, source, location, ownership, and control of the proceeds.

The money launderers opened bank accounts at various financial institutions using false mailing addresses. Shortly after the accounts were opened, the phone scammers – many of whom lived in Colombia – made unsolicited phone calls to victims in the United States using spoofed phone numbers. This allowed callers to conceal their identity and make it appear as if the calls originated from locations in the United States, such as a police station where the victim lived or had lived in the past.

During calls with victims, scammers impersonated federal and local law enforcement officers and made victims believe they were implicated in a crime. Using this as leverage, conspirators coerced victims to make large wire transfers or other payments to purportedly resolve their criminal liability. Scammers instructed victims to wire funds to various bank accounts opened by money launderers. Once deposited into these accounts, money launderers quickly moved to withdraw funds, purchase cashier’s checks for other conspirators, and drain account balances before funds could be frozen.

According to the United States’ sentencing memorandum, Bernal opened bank accounts at ten different financial institutions for this scheme. In many instances, he received fraud proceeds shortly after opening these accounts and drained balances within days. After banks stopped allowing him new accounts, he began receiving cashier’s checks from co-conspirators purchased with fraud proceeds from other victims. To carry out this role effectively, Bernal and his co-conspirators traveled between multiple Moneytree locations on single days for laundering large amounts over short periods.

Over approximately two years, Bernal received and laundered fraud proceeds more than 30 times from 27 different victims including varying amounts of cashier’s checks from 14 co-conspirators totaling $327,040.72.

“These scammers are sophisticated and will prey on emotion and fear,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This defendant turned deceit into profit; so we turned his profit into a conviction.”

“FBI Los Angeles works closely with our law enforcement partners to combat money laundering in our communities," said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of FBI Los Angeles Field Office. "Mr. Bernal’s sentence should serve as a deterrent to those who seek to prey on innocent victims.” He reminded the public “to be vigilant” against such scams.

“The U.S. Border Patrol is an all-threats agency,” said Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel. “I couldn’t be prouder of work done by these agents securing significant prosecution.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.

DEFENDANT                                   Case Number             23-cr-1483-AGS

Juan Pablo Prada Bernal                     Age: 24                       Colombia

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Money Laundering Conspiracy - Title 18 U.S.C., Section 1956(h)

Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice value property involved transaction

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

U.S Department Homeland Security

U.S Customs Border Protection

U.S Border Patrol

Federal Bureau Investigation

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