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Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Seven-Year Money Laundering Conspiracy

Andrelio Castaño Rojas faces up to 20 years in prison following a guilty plea in federal court.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 18, 2026, 12:52 p.m. ET
On August 17, 2026, 55-year-old Colombian national Andrelio Castaño Rojas guilty in federal district court to a money laundering conspiracy, according to official court documents published by the U.S. Department of Justice. The case remains developing as court proceedings continue toward sentencing. According to official records, Rojas conspired between January 2018 and March 2025 to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Officials reported that Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies, arranged to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits, and used the money to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Chief of Operations Matthew Allen of the Drug Enforcement Administration announced the guilty plea. Sentencing is set for January 22, 2027, where Rojas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence.

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  1. Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:52current

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