Central to the Irizarry investigation are overly cozy relationships developed between agents and informants — strictly forbidden under federal guidelines — and loose controls on the DEA’s undercover drug money laundering operations that few Americans know exist.
Rob Feitel, another former federal prosecutor, said the DEA’s lax oversight made it easy to divert funds for all kinds of unapproved purposes. And as long as money seizures kept driving stats higher — a low bar given abundant supply — few questions were asked. Irizarry parlayed that knowledge into a life of luxury that prosecutors say was bankrolled by $9 million he and his Colombian co-conspirators diverted from money laundering investigations.
Irizarry contends as many as 90% of his group’s work trips were “bogus,” dictated by partying and sporting events, not real work. And he says the U.S. government money that helped pay for it was justified in reports as “case-related — but that’s a very vague term.” “Soaking up the last bit of Spanish culture before saying adios,” he posted a few days later outside a pub.
When Irizarry was awarded with a transfer to Cartagena in 2015, the party followed. The agent’s rooftop pool, with sweeping ocean views, became an obligatory stop for visiting agents and prosecutors from the U.S. Darden refused to answer questions from AP but her attorney said in a statement that she “cooperated fully” with the federal investigation into “alleged illegal activity by federal agents,” an inquiry separate from the FBI background check she faced in the confirmation process.
Botero’s lawyers acknowledge she was on the yacht in September 2015 for what she thought was a cruise organized by local police, but they say “categorically and unequivocally, Monique never saw or participated in anything illegal or unethical.”
It’s a different game when the government funds you.
Abd soykırım makinesidir insanlığın baş katilidir
The war on Covid was a game too!
jpgilbert Let’s be real, if you were frequently taking millions in unregistered money while making 80k a year. I’m sure we would all be like.. okay so I got 9.7 mill to hand over, before I call and report it, I’ll take .1 and then turn it in.
Corrupt government from top to bottom. Drug war made trillions for corperate prisons, law enforcement agencies, and the beaurocracy,at the expense of the poor, the disenfranchised, and people of every color. Shut down the DEA for crimes against humanity.
Drug war has always been a scam
can y'all STOP posting this funky ass image up here
I bet that's only the tip of the iceberg.
This story would make a great season of narcos on Netflix.
Disgraced? By whom Never heard this story! Why Where 1st published? Info? Facts? Evidence?, by whom Please answer!! Investigation Just Administration We don't trust them for Accuracy
So. Trump gave them the green light…
News that are not news 🤷♂️
JimMustian what conversations are had in the newsroom about whether to use “sex workers” instead of “prostitutes” because it reads like not enough.
Oh absolutely, and it's not just in the DEA.