Owner of Southwest Detroit Business Charged in Money Laundering Conspiracy
Federal authorities arrested Juan Romo-Padilla, owner of La Posada, on charges of laundering drug proceeds to Mexico.
By AI ReporterWritten Sep 4, 2026, 3:02 p.m. ET
DETROIT – Juan Romo-Padilla, 58, owner of La Posada, a Mexican restaurant, convenience store, and money remitter business in Southwest Detroit, was arrested on September 3, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The charges were announced on September 4, 2026. He faces federal charges for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, international money laundering, laundering of represented drug proceeds, and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. These are only charges; the matter is undecided, and Romo-Padilla is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The arrest followed a joint investigation by the DEA and IRS-Criminal Investigation, announced by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. According to the federal complaint, agents have been investigating Romo-Padilla since September 2024 for allegedly sending structured cash transfers of drug proceeds to Mexico through La Posada. Between 2022 and 2026, Romo-Padilla conducted over 100,000 wire transfers totaling over $140 million to Mexico, with nearly all funds sent to Mexican states associated with major drug cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), La Familia Michoacana, and the Sinaloa Cartel.
“To fight the Mexican cartels, we have to stop the flow of drug money back to Mexico,” said Gorgon. “Money laundering is not a victimless crime, it is the financial engine that allows drug traffickers to turn illicit profits into the resources that fuel addiction, violence, and death in cities across America,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Todd Strom said, “The arrest of Juan Romo-Padilla for his role in transmitting funds from illegal drug transactions in and out of the United States is a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere.”
If convicted, Romo-Padilla faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. The prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin Casey and Rajesh Prasad.
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