NJ Couple Admit to Illegally Moving $62M to Colombia
A New Jersey-based couple has admitted to illegally moving over $60 million to Latin America.
Late last week, 23-year-old Nicholas Ortega Munoz, a Colombian national formerly of Hackensack, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiring to, and operating, an unlicensed money transmitting business. 23-year-old Isabella Valderrama Ospina, also of Hackensack, also pleaded guilty to charges of operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
How the $62 Million Scheme Worked
Federal authorities stated that Ortega Munoz, Ospina, and others employed a scheme to covertly transfer money from the United States to Colombia through two fictitious companies, BLK Graphics Group and Technology SD. Those sham companies were built to serve as cash pipelines to move tens of millions of dollars to Latin America and avoid law enforcement detection.
To carry out the scheme, BLK and Technology SD used a rotating stable of bank accounts at multiple financial institutions to funnel money deposited from porn websites and other entities to Latin America.
Adult Website "Tokens" Used to Funnel Money
Authorities cited one example where a website allowed people to send "tokens" to pay adult performers for online performances. Those tokens were then withdrawn from those websites and deposited into BLK and Technology SD bank accounts. Ortega Munoz, Ospina, and others, then quickly directed the transfer of those funds to shell companies in Colombia.
Between April 2021 and June 2025, the two companies moved over $62 million to accounts in Colombia.
The charges of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business each carry no less than five years in prison and potentially massive fines.
Sentencing for Ortega Munoz is scheduled for June 23rd, and two days later for Ospina.
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Chris Coleman, a South Jersey native, is the brand manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM and afternoon on-air personality on WPUR Cat Country 107.3 in Atlantic City, NJ. He joined the station in February 1998 and covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey for Townsquare Media. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com
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