Man Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering Case With Woburn Link

WOBURN, MA — A Dominican national pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Boston to his role in a money laundering conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.

Jose Ernesto Pujols, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder money and one count of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12, 2021.

In May 2011, Pujols was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston and arrested by Spanish authorities in Sept. 2019, prosecutors said. He was extradited to the United States in March 2021.

In March 2011, investigators said they identified foreign banks accounts involved in a larger drug and money laundering investigation of targets in the United States and Colombia. Undercover agents communicated with Pujols and arranged a meeting at a restaurant in Woburn to pick up drug proceeds for wiring to these foreign bank accounts.

On March 2, 2011, prosecutors said Pujols arrived at the meeting location and provided the undercover agents with approximately $100,000 in drug proceeds.

The charges of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000.

Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.