BajaNomad - On his way to TJ by bus: U.S. Citizen Arrested With Nearly $4 Million at Mexico Border

On his way to TJ by bus: U.S. Citizen Arrested With Nearly $4 Million at Mexico Border

Woooosh - 8-8-2011 at 05:05 PM

http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1373-us-cit...

Mexican authorities have arrested a U.S. citizen and a Ukrainian traveling on a bus carrying over 3.7 million dollars in cash.

The pair were arrested by customs agents in the city of Sonoyta in the northern state of Sonora, while traveling en route to Tijuana.

The cash was discovered in their luggage. According to the Attorney General's Office, the pair said they were planning to "start a business" with the money. The suspects have been identified as American national Adam Gerardo Cazares Valenzuela and Ukrainian national Lesya Fergeyevma.

A statement released by the Attorney General's Office stated that both detainees will be held for at least 40 days, while investigations begin to determine the origin of the money.

Mexico reportedly seized $260 million in cash from criminal organizations since President Felipe Calderon assumed office in 2006. This is just a fraction of the estimated $18 billion to $39 billion in drug cash thought to flow into Mexico every year, according to U.S. government numbers.

Cash shipments are notoriously difficult to spot and seize at the U.S.-Mexico border: American officials reportedly confiscated just $85 million in illicit funds at the border in 2009.

DENNIS - 8-8-2011 at 05:12 PM

They must have been coming down to buy my house. :light:

Bajahowodd - 8-8-2011 at 05:12 PM

A Ukrainian? Looks like this thing is more widespread than I ever imagined.

tjBill - 8-8-2011 at 05:18 PM

The article does not make clear whether they were crossing the border. They were arrested in Sonoyta, Sonora; a border town. While in route to Tijuana.

What?

Dave - 8-8-2011 at 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
A Ukrainian? Looks like this thing is more widespread than I ever imagined.

Lying?

Bajahowodd - 8-8-2011 at 06:16 PM

On a side note, I've been to Ukraine a few times. While the older women all look like Khruschev's wife, the younger generation of Ukrainian women are gorgeous.

motoged - 8-8-2011 at 06:39 PM

I just love it how a nomad thread starts with a particular subject and one of us hijacks the thread however our ADD minds will take us... :lol:

Did any one find any chorizo in Baja that taste just like Kielbasa (koubasa) ?

The Gull - 8-8-2011 at 07:54 PM

I totally agree with Howard. My visits to the Ukraine have always left me with the same impressions.

Hijack

Stickers - 8-8-2011 at 08:05 PM

Odessa girls would like to come to Baja and wear their bikinis.

odessa_ukraine_02.jpg - 26kB

Woooosh - 8-8-2011 at 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickers
Odessa girls would like to come to Baja and wear their bikinis.

Chernobyl at it's best? I am of Ukrainian descent according to ancestry.com, and it only cost me $19.95 a month to find out.
:saint:

BajaBruno - 8-8-2011 at 10:21 PM

Can we assume the money was heading southbound? American officials don't confiscate cash because they don't check southbound traffic.

krafty - 8-8-2011 at 11:19 PM

you guys are losing it- "c'mon, take the money and run-" woot woot woot,,

rhintransit - 8-9-2011 at 06:28 AM

so, I should have declared those millions I brought in last time?

DENNIS - 8-9-2011 at 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBruno
Can we assume the money was heading southbound? American officials don't confiscate cash because they don't check southbound traffic.

Au Contraire. They check frequently at the entrance to TJ. That is one of their questions, "Do you have more than 10,000 bucks?"
Then...they look at me and laugh.

lizard lips - 8-9-2011 at 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
On a side note, I've been to Ukraine a few times. While the older women all look like Khruschev's wife, the younger generation of Ukrainian women are gorgeous.

Eventually they all look like Khruschev's wife.... :yes:

TMW - 8-9-2011 at 09:29 AM

In a somewhat heated exchange with a US agent at the Tecate border I was asked if I had more than $10,000 with me. I said hell if I had $10,000 I'd be going to Europe not Mexico.

Woooosh - 8-9-2011 at 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBruno
Can we assume the money was heading southbound? American officials don't confiscate cash because they don't check southbound traffic.

Umm, you are def wrong on that- at the San Ysidro crossing at least. They (USA) have a checkpoint after the plate readers and have caught millions of dollars leaving the country without the proper declaration. At times they hold up traffic for hours checking cars going into Mexico. It has been a few months since I have run into that there though.

sancho - 8-9-2011 at 03:54 PM

A few yrs. back, walking toward the turnstiles to TJ
for a Bus to La Paz, SD Police had an xray set up,
asked me if I exceeded the $10,000, xrayed my bag, at which
time they found a suspicious object, after they calmed down,
put away their weapons, I showed them my packed
lunch, which included the object they were concerned
with, a banana

Proud to be an Alaskan on this one.

akmaxx - 8-17-2011 at 07:35 PM

His plan was pretty damn good until the border----------

Employee charged with stealing from bank's vault

By CASEY GROVE
casey.grove@adn.com

Published: August 17th, 2011 06:17 PM
Last Modified: August 17th, 2011 06:17 PM

An Anchorage Key Bank employee is charged with embezzlement after stealing millions of dollars in cash from a bank vault and smuggling the money to Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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Gerardo Adan Cazarez Valenzuela -- also known as Gary Cazarez -- is accused of stealing $4.3 million on July 29 from a Key Bank in Anchorage. Valenzuela was employed by Key Bank as a cash vault services manager, federal authorities said.

Authorities aren't saying which Key Bank location Cazarez is accused of stealing from.

The heist is detailed in a redacted copy of an FBI special agent's affidavit filed in federal court Aug. 9.

The court papers say Valenzuela, 26, was seen on the bank's security camera footage entering the bank vault about 6:40 p.m. July 29 while pushing a rolling cart carrying three large computer boxes. Valenzuela turned off the lights and began loading cash into the boxes, the affidavit says.

According to the court papers, Valenzuela told federal agents he then loaded the boxes into a vehicle and drove to his Juneau Drive home, where he transferred the cash into several suitcases. He then boarded a private charter flight arranged two days earlier and flew to Seattle, the affidavit says.

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Valenzuela hopped in a cab. He asked the cab driver if the driver knew where to find a gun. The driver took Valenzuela to an unknown place where Valenzuela bought an AK-47 and a handgun for $4,000 cash, the affidavit says.

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Valenzuela and his girlfriend -- named as Leysa S. Bindas in the court document -- borrowed a silver BMW from Bindas's sister and drove to a hotel in Auburn, Wash. There, security cameras captured the couple bringing multiple suitcases to their hotel room. They checked out the next day, bought a Ford Fusion from an Auburn car dealership, and headed south to California, the agent wrote.

On July 31, the couple decided to drive to Mexico to visit Bindas's uncle, the affidavit says.

But the uncle suggested they ditch the car -- the Fusion couldn't handle terrain on the roads in Mexico, he told them -- and the couple bought bus tickets to Sonora, Mexico instead, the affidavit says.

During the bus trip in Mexico the couple was pulled aside for screening at a security checkpoint.

"Upon realizing they were flagged, Valenzuela told Bindas they were in serious trouble," Agent Susan Cusack wrote.

The Mexican authorities asked Valenzuela to open his suitcases, and Valenzuela asked to go to a private room. When Valenzuela finally opened his luggage, the officers found guns, ammunition and about $3.8 million in cash, according to Cusack's affidavit.

On Aug. 1, a Monday, Valenzuela didn't show up for work at Key Bank. The next day, bank employees were at first unable to open the vault. They opened the vault later in the day and discovered about $4.3 million in cash missing, the affidavit says.

Valenzuela is charged with one felony count of embezzlement.

Meanwhile, in Mexico, Valenzuela was arrested Aug. 2. Valenzuela remains in custody in Mexico, and U.S. authorities are working to have him returned to Alaska to face criminal charges, according the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2011/08/17/2019620/worker-charged-with-st...

DENNIS - 8-17-2011 at 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by akmaxx
Meanwhile, in Mexico, Valenzuela was arrested Aug. 2. Valenzuela remains in custody in Mexico, and U.S. authorities are working to have him returned to Alaska to face criminal charges, according the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Screw this guy. Let him burn, but lets keep track of the bucks. I wonder how much is really missing?

Woooosh - 8-17-2011 at 09:23 PM

$4.3 Million in suitcases and they took the bus? You can't fix stupid, even with that much money.

Bajafun777 - 8-18-2011 at 07:05 AM

Off course there will be a fine from Mexico on this money crime committed by this guy probably 4.3 Million in dollars. I do believe that would be a reasonable fine in this type of crime that involved such a large amount of money,LOL!! So, what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico, as the saying goes. Take Care & Travel Safe--"No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777

DENNIS - 8-18-2011 at 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajafun777
So, what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico, as the saying goes.

Yeah....it probably will, as evidence, pending a thorough investigation. :cool:

sanquintinsince73 - 8-18-2011 at 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajafun777
Off course there will be a fine from Mexico on this money crime committed by this guy probably 4.3 Million in dollars. I do believe that would be a reasonable fine in this type of crime that involved such a large amount of money,LOL!! So, what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico, as the saying goes. Take Care & Travel Safe--"No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN" bajafun777

A $3,000,000.00 bus ride to jail? I would have at least taken a taxi-libre.

ElCap - 8-18-2011 at 11:12 AM

Nice sleuthing akmaxx - just goes to show how people immediately assume the obvious (cartel $$ burros), when in reality it is something far different. Crooks are rarely very smart.

DENNIS - 8-18-2011 at 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73
A $3,000,000.00 bus ride to jail? I would have at least taken a taxi-libre.

Nice to see you back and posting, Carlos.

AmoPescar - 8-18-2011 at 01:29 PM

HERE'S THE SCOOP ON HOW HE CAME UP WITH THE MONEY...

http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/8459870/48961569/Ala...

He had quite a journey to get to the border. But his Journey back home in chains probably seemed longer!!

Miguelamo :yes:

Von - 8-18-2011 at 02:36 PM

Well Mexico got a little richer lol! You can not fix dumb ass syndrome lol! :lol: