South Florida Couple Plead Guilty To Money Laundering Involving Third-Party Payments To Mexico
2014-07-11 · Press release
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), announce that Natalie Ladin, 62, and Jed Ladin, 66, both of Lauderdale by the Sea, and their company Natalie Jewelry, doing business as Golden Opportunities, located in Hallandale Beach, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). Sentencing is scheduled for October 31, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom. At sentencing, the defendants each face up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, the defendants committed money laundering by conducting wire transfers from Natalie Jewelry to third parties in Mexico. Operating an unlicensed money transmitter business is a specified unlawful activity for money laundering, and neither Natalie Jewelry nor any of its owners or employees had such a license from the State of Florida or the Department of the Treasury. From October 2013 through January 2014, the defendants exchanged coded text messages with two co-conspirators who would drop off bags of cash at different South Florida locations and provide the defendants with a list of people who should receive wire transfers from that money. In exchange for a commission, the defendants sent money via wire transfer to approximately 21 individuals in Mexico for a total of $2,023,950.00.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
- district_office
- Southern District of Florida
- usa_name
- Wifredo A. Ferrer
- event_type
- plea
- judge_name
- Beth Bloom
- judge_title
- U.S. District Judge
- case_number
- max_penalty_text
- up to 20 years in prison
- sentence_summary
- money_amounts
- $2,023,950.00
- crypto_assets
- statutes_json
- ["18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1956(h)"]
- timeline_json
- {"indictment_date": null, "plea_date": null}
- press_release_url
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/south-florida-couple-plead-guilty-money-laundering-involving-third-party-payments
- extras_json
| participant_id | name | role | title | organization | location | age | nationality | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2918 | Jed Ladin | defendant | Natalie Jewelry, doing business as Golden Opportunities | Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida | 66 | pleaded guilty |
| agency_id | agency_name | abbreviation | role | office_location | agents_mentioned | contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida | prosecution | Southern District of Florida | Wifredo A. Ferrer, Michael Thakur | Prosecuted the case and announced the guilty pleas | |
| 1907 | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations | ICE-HSI | investigation | Alysa D. Erichs | Conducted investigative efforts leading to the case |
| charge_id | charge_description | statute | severity | max_penalty | fine_amount | defendant | status | participant_id | cl_docket_id | count_num | is_1960 | verified_1960 | source | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1503 | conspiracy to commit money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | felony | 20 years in prison | Natalie Ladin | pleaded guilty | 0 | enrichment | ||||||
| 1504 | conspiracy to commit money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | felony | 20 years in prison | Jed Ladin | pleaded guilty | 0 | enrichment | ||||||
| 1505 | conspiracy to commit money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | felony | 20 years in prison | Natalie Jewelry doing business as Golden Opportunities | pleaded guilty | 0 | enrichment | ||||||
| 3541 | Operating an unlicensed money transmitter business is a specified unlawful activity for money laundering, and neither Nat | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:46:00+00:00 |
| fin_id | action_type | amount | currency | description | asset_type | defendant | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1600 | seizure | $2,023,950.00 | USD | wire transfers to approximately 21 individuals in Mexico | cash | Natalie Ladin | null |
| 1601 | seizure | $2,023,950.00 | USD | wire transfers to approximately 21 individuals in Mexico | cash | Jed Ladin | null |
| victim_id | victim_type | description | number_affected | loss_amount | geographic_scope | vulnerability_factors | impact_description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 874 | individual | individuals in Mexico | 21 | 2023950 | Mexico | received wire transfers from money laundering scheme |
| quote_id | quote_text | speaker_name | speaker_title | speaker_organization | quote_type | context | significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3201 | This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur. | Wifredo A. Ferrer | United States Attorney | Southern District of Florida | statement | Announcing the prosecution details of the case | Identifies the prosecutor handling the case |
| theme_id | theme_name | description | significance | related_statutes | geographic_scope | temporal_aspects | stakeholders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2130 | Money Laundering | Defendants conducted wire transfers from Natalie Jewelry to third parties in Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy. | Central criminal charge underpinning the case, leading to guilty pleas and potential imprisonment. | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | International | Recent development (2013-2014) | Defendants, law enforcement, financial institutions |
| 2131 | Unlicensed Money Transmission | Natalie Jewelry operated without a required license from Florida or the U.S. Treasury to transmit money. | Forms the basis of the 'specified unlawful activity' for money laundering charges. | National | Historical trend (ongoing until 2014) | Defendants, regulatory agencies (Florida, Treasury) | |
| 2132 | Coded Communications | Defendants used coded text messages to coordinate cash exchanges and wire transfer instructions with co-conspirators. | Demonstrates intent and method of evading detection. | Local | Recent development (2013-2014) | Defendants, co-conspirators | |
| 2133 | International Wire Transfers | Over $2 million in wire transfers were sent to 21 individuals in Mexico via third parties. | Key evidence of money laundering and cross-border financial activity. | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | International | Recent development (2013-2014) | Defendants, financial institutions, Mexican recipients |
| 2134 | Co-Conspirator Involvement | Co-conspirators provided cash and lists of wire transfer recipients in exchange for commissions. | Highlights organized criminal collaboration and division of roles. | Local | Recent development (2013-2014) | Co-conspirators, defendants, law enforcement |
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