Two Chinese nationals and a woman from New York have pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering related to drug trafficking, according to an announcement by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The individuals are part of a larger group within a Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO) that has been charged with laundering over $92 million in illegal funds.
Court documents reveal that Enhua Fang, 38, Jianfei Lu, 30, both from China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, from Staten Island, New York, were involved in operations primarily tied to drug trafficking proceeds entering the United States through Mexico.
Fang is identified as an organizer within the CMLO who managed couriers tasked with collecting cash from illegal activities such as narcotics trafficking across the United States. These funds were then deposited into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO. Fang admitted responsibility for laundering at least $90 million in illicit funds over two years and acknowledged that these included drug trafficking proceeds.
Lu’s role involved collecting drug-related proceeds and depositing them using both real and fake identities into shell company accounts registered by other CMLO members. He also coordinated cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and obtained fake driver’s licenses for couriers to facilitate transactions at major U.S. banks. Lu admitted involvement in laundering between $25 million and $65 million.
Zhen acted under Fang’s and Lu’s direction to handle nearly $25 million of illicit cash using both her real and fake identities. She acknowledged knowing these funds were linked to drug trafficking.
The three defendants face significant prison time: up to 20 years for each conspiracy and money laundering count, and up to 10 years for each monetary transaction count involving criminally derived property exceeding $10,000.
All members of this CMLO cell have now pleaded guilty following similar pleas on April 30, 2025. This marks the dismantling of this particular segment within the organization.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson made this announcement alongside Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent Jae W. Chung of the DEA Atlanta Division; and IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office Chief Guy Ficco.
The investigation is being conducted by the DEA Charlotte District Office and IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa among others from various legal divisions.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America which aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
