The U.S. Department of Justice has charged four individuals with money laundering related to an illegal scheme to purchase, butcher and sell pigs in California.
The defendants have been identified as Moses Vasquez, 57, of Tulare; Mariela Vasquez, 56, of Delano; Jose Luis Rivera, 34, of Bakersfield; and Francisco de Jesus Cortez Fernandez, 57, of Tulare.
The four defendants worked in tandem to commit the money laundering scheme, according to the Justice Department. According to the criminal complaint, they used two business names to purchase pigs in Tulare County and then sell the pork in Los Angeles County, concealing their identity and source of payment.
The complaint alleges that the defendants laundered at least $3 million between February 2016 and April 2018 through the scheme. The DOJ said they would deposit money in banks located outside of California to conceal its origin and destination.
The money laundering charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to the Justice Department. The four defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court in Fresno on April 4.
