Uruguayan Man Pleads Guilty to Agreeing to Move Money into the U.S. to Circumvent U.S. Sanctions Relating to Venezuelan Officials

# Uruguayan Man Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion Scheme

A 60-year-old Uruguayan man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business in a scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials. Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus agreed to transfer approximately $99,500 from the Dominican Republic into a bank account in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, using cash delivered to him. The funds were identified as originating from a sanctioned Venezuelan government official.

Carbajal and his partner agreed to charge a 20 percent fee for the illegal service, which involved creating fraudulent invoices and using multiple accounts to obscure the transactions from banks. Carbajal used coded language to refer to the money, calling it a "boy who needs to be taken to school." The FBI International Corruption Unit in Miami investigated the case.

Carbajal faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on June 12, 2026, with a federal judge to determine the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.