Stablecoin Laundering Network Lands Colombian Crypto Broker in Prison

A Colombian crypto broker nicknamed "Rey" was sentenced to 160 months in US federal prison for laundering $14.5 million in drug proceeds through Tether's USDT and involvement in a cocaine importation conspiracy. The scheme linked Colombian traffickers, an unlicensed US crypto exchange and shell companies. The case reinforces regulatory scrutiny of stablecoin flows and illicit-finance risk, a modest negative for USDT's compliance reputation though not a direct price driver.