Business Owner ARRESTED – $18M Scheme!

A Guatemalan business owner in Oregon faces up to 20 years in federal prison after allegedly laundering $18 million in drug money through her chain of local stores.

At a Glance

  • Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, 39, operated three “La Popular” stores that allegedly served as fronts for laundering drug cartel money
  • Authorities claim she laundered over $18 million to drug trafficking organizations in Mexico and Honduras between 2021-2024
  • She allegedly charged drug traffickers an extra 10% fee per wire transfer and created false records to conceal her activities
  • If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison, five years supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the laundered amount
  • The case highlights how legitimate businesses are exploited to move illicit drug money across borders

Foreign National Arrested in Money Laundering Scheme

Federal authorities have arrested Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, a 39-year-old Guatemalan national living in Oregon, on charges of laundering over $18 million for drug cartels. Barrera Orantes owned and operated three La Popular stores across Oregon and Washington, which investigators allege served as fronts for an extensive money laundering operation. 

The businesses, which functioned as money service providers, have been shuttered following her April 16 arrest in Beaverton after federal agents executed search warrants at her home and business locations. 

According to federal prosecutors, Barrera Orantes accepted large sums of cash from drug sales and wired the money to Mexico and Honduras using fabricated names to conceal the transactions. The investigation revealed she charged drug traffickers an additional 10% fee for each wire transfer, creating a lucrative second business beyond her storefronts. Court documents indicate the alleged money laundering activities occurred over a three-year period between 2021 and 2024.

Staggering Sums of “Dirty Money” Moved

The scale of the operation has shocked investigators. While approximately $89 million in total was transferred through Barrera Orantes’ businesses, authorities identified at least $18.5 million specifically directed to regions associated with drug trafficking organizations. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has issued a cease and desist order against Barrera Orantes, effectively preventing her from operating any financial service businesses in the state.

“The amount of dirty money allegedly flowing through these small businesses and back to Mexico and Honduras is truly staggering. We intend to hold accountable the operators of these businesses who profit by assisting drug trafficking organizations in laundering their proceeds,” said Katie de Villiers.

Following her arrest, Barrera Orantes made her initial appearance in federal court, where a judge ordered her to remain in custody pending further proceedings. Court documents reveal she allegedly utilized “fictitious sender information to conceal her money laundering activities,” creating false financial records to mask the true nature and origin of the funds being transferred through her businesses. 

Critical Role of Financial Businesses in Drug Trade

This case highlights how legitimate money service businesses can be exploited by drug trafficking organizations to move their profits across borders. Law enforcement officials emphasize that targeting these financial networks is as important as intercepting drug shipments in the fight against narcotics trafficking. The businesses that facilitate the movement of illicit funds enable criminal organizations to profit from their activities in the United States.

“This investigation has revealed the pivotal role that money service businesses play in laundering the enormous proceeds of trafficking illegal drugs in our community,” added de Villiers.

If convicted on the money laundering charges, Barrera Orantes faces severe penalties, including up to 20 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of either $500,000 or twice the amount of money involved in the transactions. Local residents expressed relief at the arrest, with one neighbor telling reporters: “I’m glad justice is being made and I hope that the business gets shut down and this makes the call to others that they are going to get caught.”

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