Dylan Tokar

What we were looking at here was this partnership that has formed between these Chinese money brokers and transnational crime organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel. Basically, what's happening is there's this huge demand to get cash out of China. And these brokers are looking for physical currency that they can sell to their customers.

What we were looking at here was this partnership that has formed between these Chinese money brokers and transnational crime organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel. Basically, what's happening is there's this huge demand to get cash out of China. And these brokers are looking for physical currency that they can sell to their customers.

And that quest for more physical currency has led them to people like the Sinaloa Cartel. which have, on their hands, a lot of cash that they are trying to get rid of and find a way to put it into the traditional banking system. The case we dug into in this story takes place in Los Angeles County.

And that quest for more physical currency has led them to people like the Sinaloa Cartel. which have, on their hands, a lot of cash that they are trying to get rid of and find a way to put it into the traditional banking system. The case we dug into in this story takes place in Los Angeles County.

The investigators in that case spent something like four years investigating a Chinese money broker named Shai Zhang, and they were able to show how this money is used tied to drugs, specifically the Sinaloa cartel, how Zhang sold this money to Chinese customers in the LA area, and then finally, how they were also pausing a good amount of this money at banks.

The investigators in that case spent something like four years investigating a Chinese money broker named Shai Zhang, and they were able to show how this money is used tied to drugs, specifically the Sinaloa cartel, how Zhang sold this money to Chinese customers in the LA area, and then finally, how they were also pausing a good amount of this money at banks.

We know that Zhang used three of the biggest banks in the U.S. That's Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank. Those three banks told us we fulfilled our legal obligations with respect to this case or just generally. But the banks have a lot to say about the anti-money laundering system more generally speaking.

We know that Zhang used three of the biggest banks in the U.S. That's Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank. Those three banks told us we fulfilled our legal obligations with respect to this case or just generally. But the banks have a lot to say about the anti-money laundering system more generally speaking.

The system creates a lot of reports, and a lot of those reports may not be thoroughly screened by law enforcement. More often, if law enforcement use them, it's when they already have a case. So we have a system that is pretty costly for banks, requires a lot of work on their end, but doesn't necessarily lead to specific law enforcement actions.

The system creates a lot of reports, and a lot of those reports may not be thoroughly screened by law enforcement. More often, if law enforcement use them, it's when they already have a case. So we have a system that is pretty costly for banks, requires a lot of work on their end, but doesn't necessarily lead to specific law enforcement actions.

And the Chinese money launderers in this case and generally were taking advantage of that fact. So Sai Zhang and 23 others were charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles following this investigation. And their case is ongoing. They are scheduled to go to trial in October at the moment. Zhang has pleaded not guilty.

And the Chinese money launderers in this case and generally were taking advantage of that fact. So Sai Zhang and 23 others were charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles following this investigation. And their case is ongoing. They are scheduled to go to trial in October at the moment. Zhang has pleaded not guilty.

We reached out to his lawyer multiple times, but didn't receive any response.

We reached out to his lawyer multiple times, but didn't receive any response.