Convicted money launderers in jails or awaiting sentencing

The News-Times
By Emily Froehlich
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Updated: 08/15/2009 12:39:44 PM EDT

DANBURY -- The approval of a partnership between Danbury police and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency might call to mind a recent money laundering case, since it is the kind of crime that authorities are especially keen on targeting with the new agreement.

On a clear and chilly day in March 2008, Internal Revenue Service agents marched into RM Insurance on Main Street in Danbury. By the end of the day, the agents had searched the business, seized documents, and had co-owners Renata Amaral and Monica Teixeira arrested on charges of money laundering via illegal wire transfers.

According to police records, the scheme involving three other people and at least two other businesses fed funds to black market money brokers in Brazil and the U.S. to avoid financial-reporting requirements, tariffs and restrictions.

The owners and employees of RM Insurance would deposit large amounts of cash from customers into a Union Savings Bank account, according to police.

The indictment states that they would then transfer the customers' money to Brazil at a rate more favorable than the current exchange rate.

The official court indictment said Amaral and Teixeira, who are sisters-in-law, illegally helped exchange nearly $10 million between the U.S. and Brazil.

Authorities charged Amaral and Teixeira with conspiracy to operate an illegal money remitting business, operating an illegal money transmitting business, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to launder money purported to be drug proceeds, as reported in the indictment.

Amaral and Teixeira later both pleaded guilty to operating an illegal money transmitting business and as a result, were not prosecuted for the other charges.

Now, more than one year after the conspiracy unraveled, Amaral awaits sentencing in September and Teixeira sits behind bars, serving a sentence of a year and a day. Teixeira is set to be released on May 19, 2010, according to official documents.

In her plea agreement, Teixeira agreed to testify before a grand jury and at any trials as required by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Elliot Warren, Teixeira's lawyer, said he doubts she will be called to testify at Amaral's sentencing.

"They're both basically in the same position legally," Warren said.

According to Amaral's plea agreement, she faces up to five years in prison when she stands before a judge for sentencing Sept. 3.

Amaral was originally scheduled to be sentenced in June, but her lawyer submitted a sealed motion to continue sentencing, according to official documents.

Amaral's attorney, Francis O'Reilly, declined to comment on the case, and someone who answered the phone at RM Insurance said Amaral was "unavailable" to comment.

Where are they now?

MARCIO MANSUR, who operated Ben Brasil on White Street in Danbury, awaits his Oct. 1 sentencing. He pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money remitting business.

NILANDER DeOLIVERIERA, who ran BrazUSA Enterprises in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is serving a 22-month sentence in Memphis Federal Correctional Institution and will be released Oct. 21.

ANDREA DeOLIVIERA, who also managed BrazUSA and pleaded guilty to the same charge as her brother-in-law, was sentenced to 15 months in prison. She is scheduled to be released June 5, 2010, from Danbury FCI.

RENATA AMARAL, co-owner of RM Insurance in Danbury, is due to be sentenced Sept. 3 after filing a sealed motion to continue sentencing a week before her original sentencing date of June 24. She pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money remitting business and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

MONICA TEIXEIRA, who pleaded guilty to the same charge as her business partner at RM Insurance in Danbury, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in Danbury FCI. She is set to be released May 19, 2010.

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