Pubdate: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) Copyright: 2006 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Contact: http://www.heraldtribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/398 Author: Todd Ruger Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who have not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise public figures or officials RECORDS DETAIL COCAINE SCHEME Sarasota Businessman Is Accused of Heading a Distribution Ring SARASOTA -- Three men met at the Ritz-Carlton in February to talk business -- the sale of several kilos of cocaine, and a way to launder drug money to leave no trace of the crime -- according to federal court records released Friday. At the meeting, [Name redacted] , a manager of Khrome nightclub, bragged his boss could launder the drug sale proceeds because he is a "miracle worker" who owns all the Jackson Hewitt Tax Offices from Tampa to Venice, the records show. [Name redacted] boast was recorded by one of the men, a police informant wearing a wire, as part of a yearlong investigation that's still under way. It involves 10 kilograms of cocaine, $280,000 in cash and wire transfers, and a Sarasota businessman now charged with money laundering. [Name redacted] was arrested on drug possession charges when he went to a commercial storage warehouse to load the cocaine into his trunk, the records say. The friend who drove him there, [Name redacted] , is also charged. The same day, agents searched the office of [Name redacted] , 56, of Sarasota, owner of a Jackson Hewitt accounting office. [Name redacted] is accused of being the head of a local drug distribution ring, and faces charges that he laundered drug money through his accounting business. [Name redacted] , a felon who did time in a New York prison for a tax-fraud scheme, is involved in dozens of local businesses run from his Jackson Hewitt office at Clark and Beneva roads. He is also president of an investment company and another firm called J.H. Accounting, state records show. The investigation into [Name redacted] started with a tip that he provided money to buy large amounts of cocaine and ecstasy through [Name redacted] , a manager at his two nightclubs, Khrome and Ecstasy. At the meeting at the Ritz, the two informants gave [Name redacted] a peek at $200,000 in cash, which earned them a meeting with [Name redacted] , the court records show. [Name redacted] was recorded discussing different ways he could launder the money and transfer it to a bank account, explaining that he would have to be able to prove where the money came from, the records show. There was talk of setting up a fake loan, then providing documentation that the loan had been paid off and then wiring the money to them a few days later. [Name redacted] agreed to launder the proceeds for a 10 percent commission, the complaint states. An undercover DEA agent delivered $100,000 of supposed drug money to [Name redacted] two times with the informants, and both times [Name redacted] wired $90,000 to an undercover DEA account from an account belonging to J.H. Investment Services Inc., the records show. On Oct. 10, an informant agreed to sell [Name redacted] 5 kilograms of cocaine for $80,000, and the next day the undercover account received a wire transfer for that amount from J.H. Investment Services. Agents arranged the pickup at a commercial storage building on 17th Street on Monday and put the cocaine in 5-pound cardboard barrels. [Name redacted] was driving the car [Name redacted] arrived in. [Name redacted] put one barrel in the trunk and [Name redacted] put a second one in. Agents and detectives then arrested them, the records say. [Name redacted] agreed to answer questions when his office was searched that same day, and admitted to wiring the $80,000 to purchase the cocaine, the complaint states. [Begin Sidebar] TIME LINE Oct. 7, 2005 -- An informant tells federal agents [Name redacted] is involved in selling cocaine and ecstasy at two nightclubs he owns, Khrome and Ecstasy. Feb 8 to March 22 -- Two informants, posing as drug dealers, offer to sell cocaine to the manager of the two clubs, [Name redacted] , at the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton. Aug. 1 -- The informants, [Name redacted] and [Name redacted] hold a second meeting at [Name redacted] Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. The informants agree to sell [Name redacted] 40 kilograms of cocaine. [Name redacted] also offers to launder the informant's drug profits for a 10 percent commission. Aug. 3 to Sept. 12 -- An undercover DEA agent delivers $100,000 of supposed drug money to [Name redacted] two times, and both times [Name redacted] wires $90,000 to an undercover DEA account from an account belonging to J.H. Investment Services, Inc. Oct. 10 to 11 -- An informant arranges to sell 5 kilograms of cocaine to [Name redacted] for $80,000. J.H. Investment Services wires the money to the DEA account. [Name redacted] arranges to take another 5 kilograms and pay the source at a later date. Oct. 16 -- A source and an undercover DEA agent meet with [Name redacted] and a friend of his at a commercial storage facility where cocaine was hidden. Federal agents arrest [Name redacted] and his friend as they load 10 kilograms of cocaine into the trunk of their car. The agents then raid [Name redacted] Jackson Hewitt office. Source: Special agent affidavit filed in U.S. District Court. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine