Chinese Money Laundering Kingpin Charged In US For Aiding Sinaloa Cartel, All You Need To Know

A key member of a Chinese money-laundering network has been charged in the United States for allegedly laundering tens of millions of dollars generated from drug trafficking operations, according to a report by The Epoch Times (TET).

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced on January 9 that Lin Yan, 41, appeared in court in Cincinnati on January 8 to face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment of money laundering. He was indicted in November 2025, and the indictment was unsealed earlier this week.

Quoting US Justice Department officials, the TET report noted that authorities view dismantling Chinese-linked money laundering systems as critical to combating global narcotics networks. “Dismantling Chinese money laundering networks that support drug trafficking organisations is critical to achieve the mission of total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organisations,” Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva said.

He added that US agencies would continue to target the financial structures that sustain the illegal drug trade.

Court documents cited by TET revealed that Lin, a Chinese national with US citizenship, allegedly worked closely with Mexico-based drug cartels, including the notorious Sinaloa cartel, between March 2022 and October 2024.

During this period, he reportedly operated in Mexico and helped return tens of millions of dollars in drug sales profits, linked to fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, from US cities such as Tulsa, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and Philadelphia back to Mexico.

According to prosecutors, Lin and his associates, including conspirators based in China, orchestrated bulk cash transfers and converted the proceeds into electronic goods such as mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. These goods were then shipped to China, Hong Kong, and other destinations.

Once the transfers were confirmed, drug traffickers in Mexico received payments in pesos or dollars after commissions were deducted. Prosecutors described Lin as a “prolific money broker” for Mexican drug trafficking organisations, with one ledger recording about USD 27.4 million in bulk cash deliveries across the United States in 2024 alone.

He allegedly earned more than USD 1 million in commissions and arranged around USD 3.8 million in cash pickups in the Southern District of Ohio, including a USD 270,000 pickup in Los Angeles.

The TET report further noted that Lin frequently travelled across Mexico, Asia, Europe, and South America during his operations and allegedly used multiple phone numbers and female aliases, including “DiDi,” “Maria,” “Victoria,” “Monica,” and “Vivian,” to evade law enforcement. Prosecutors said Lin fled Southern California to Mexico in March 2022 after learning he was under federal investigation.

He eventually returned to US custody in October 2024 after being expelled to Miami. He later pleaded guilty in a separate California case and was sentenced to 18 months in prison in July 2025, and has remained in custody since then.

US Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II stated, as quoted by TET, that money launderers play a crucial enabling role in drug trafficking. “Without money launderers, drug cartels are stuck with dirty money they can’t use,” he said, stressing that those who facilitate such crimes will be held accountable.

If convicted on the current charges, Lin faces up to 20 years in prison. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication, according to the report.

(With Inputs From ANI) 

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