Central Nova News

A Georgia man has admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars from drug proceeds for foreign drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación. On August 5, a co-conspirator also pled guilty for his role in the same scheme.

Court documents reveal that Li Pei Tan, 46, from Buford, and Chaojie Chen, 41, a Chinese national residing in Chicago, were part of an organization that laundered millions linked to illegal drug imports into the United States. The drugs were primarily imported through Mexico. Tan and Chen traveled across the U.S. to collect proceeds from trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs. They coordinated with co-conspirators in China and other countries to launder these proceeds through financial transactions designed to hide their illicit origins. This included a trade-based money laundering scheme involving bulk electronics purchases in the U.S., which were then shipped to China.

Before Chen's arrest in May, law enforcement seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in bulk cash drug proceeds from him at various locations across the country. Tan was intercepted by authorities in South Carolina while attempting to transport over $197,000.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are central figures in the U.S. fentanyl crisis.

Tan and Chen have pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of their plea agreements, they will forfeit numerous assets including a residence, firearm, body armor, and more than $270,000 in seized currency. They also agreed to money judgments totaling over $23 million. Sentencing is scheduled for November 14 for Chen and February 7, 2025 for Tan; both face up to 20 years in prison.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri; and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.

The case was investigated by several DEA units with assistance from local offices across multiple states as well as local law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Trial Attorney Mary K. Daly prosecuted the case with support from additional U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force effort aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States using a multi-agency approach.

Further information can be found on relevant court websites or through PACER by searching Case Nos. 24-CR-145 (Tan) and 24-CR-149 (Chen).