A Brazilian crime group of 14 people used BTC to launder $95 million and was sentenced by the court to prison terms ranging from 10 to 21 years

According to DL News, the Brazilian Federal Court has sentenced 14 individuals for laundering over $95 million from drug trafficking and kidnapping profits using Bitcoin. Two main offenders were sentenced to over 21 years in prison, one of whom is a prison security officer, while the remaining 12 received sentences ranging from 10 to 17 years.

The criminal group operated in Minas Gerais and Paraná from April 2019 to July 2024, primarily focused on concealing the nature, source, flow, and ownership of assets derived from cross-border drug trafficking and violent crimes, including ransom from a kidnapping case in Rio de Janeiro.

Investigations revealed that the group used Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to launder money for a larger criminal network, operating an "accounting department" through false tax identification numbers, fake accounting records, and multiple shell companies, disguising their activities as being involved in industries such as food trade, livestock, luxury goods, and swimwear.