The Region : Money Charges Dropped

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is not necessarily illegal to launder cash from drug dealing or other illicit sources by keeping bank transactions under $10,000. Money laundering itself, the court said as it reversed charges against five members of a ring arrested nearly two years ago, “is not a crime, and the mere fact that a person launders monies derived from narcotics activities does not make the launderer part of the conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws.” The court did allow to stand, however, two related charges--including one of drug dealing--against alleged ringleader Gustavo Ricardo Ronderos. charges involving money laundering against Antoinette Espriella, her son Alberto Espriella, Margaret Caro and Pablo Chapoy were dropped.