Money Laundering

Prosecutors seized 228 assets worth over 420 million lempiras (about $17 million) linked to the Los Domínguez criminal organization in a simultaneous operation across Choluteca and Valle departments, including property, businesses, and financial accounts allegedly connected to drug trafficking and money laundering.

A court acquitted José Rodimiro Arita, former director of La Tolva maximum-security prison, of money laundering and criminal association charges, but found him guilty of breach of duty for failing to report 445,000 lempiras (about $17,800) that entered the facility; sentencing is scheduled for August 4.

A Honduran court ordered the Public Prosecutor's Office to return more than 60 assets to the retail company Mangys Store after the company's legal representatives proved the goods were lawfully obtained, demonstrating no connection to money laundering or other crimes.

Francisco Cosenza, former director of Honduras's security-funding agency, was sentenced to five years of home confinement with electronic monitoring by a Miami federal judge after admitting to financial transactions involving proceeds from criminal activity.

A judge scheduled June 9 for the ruling in the initial hearing against three former San Pedro Sula municipal officials, including the mayor's son-in-law, accused of money laundering, bribery, and fraud in a scheme that prosecutors say caused losses exceeding 45.5 million lempiras.

A judge scheduled a June 9 preliminary-hearing ruling on whether to send three former San Pedro Sula municipal officials — including the son-in-law of Mayor Roberto 'El Pollo' Contreras — to trial on charges of money laundering, influence peddling, and fraud tied to road contracts worth over 45.5 million lempiras (about $1.8 million) that prosecutors say were never lawfully executed.

Francisco Cosenza, former director of Honduras's Security Tax (Tasa de Seguridad), was sentenced in Miami to five years of home detention after pleading guilty to money laundering and bribery charges tied to over $10 million in padded police uniform and supply contracts.