Newark, NJ – Juan Perez-Aguila, a 69-year-old resident of Paulsboro, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to charges related to engaging in a sophisticated money laundering operation, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti in Newark federal court on February 1, 2024. Perez-Aguila faced one count of interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises.
Court documents and statements made during the plea hearing reveal that Perez-Aguila illegally accessed customer accounts of a company providing point-of-sale services. He executed unauthorized chargeback refunds from these accounts to others under his control, effectively channeling over $20,000 of illicitly acquired funds into another bank account he owned. The total misappropriated from victims through his fraudulent activities surpassed $1 million.
The charge against Perez-Aguila under the Travel Act brings a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.