The U.S. Justice Department has levied serious accusations against Maximilian de Hoop Cartier, a descendant of the prestigious Cartier family, charging him with drug trafficking and money laundering activities involving the cryptocurrency USDT.
According to official statements, Maximilian has been implicated in facilitating the legalization of approximately $14.5 million through over-the-counter transactions using USDT. The allegations suggest that these funds were derived from illegal drug sales, as indicated by the Justice Department's formal charges.
Maximilian de Hoop Cartier is reportedly closely connected with a Colombian drug cartel. He was arrested in late February 2024, alongside five other suspects in Miami, Florida, underscoring the international scope of this investigation.
The prosecution has charged Cartier under multiple counts, including a significant accusation that he attempted to smuggle 100 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. This underscores the serious nature of the charges, highlighting the extensive efforts to breach U.S. borders with substantial quantities of illegal narcotics.
Further details revealed by authorities state that from May to November 2023, Maximilian de Hoop Cartier was involved in laundering $14.5 million. These funds were allegedly cleaned through over-the-counter cryptocurrency transactions, which have been increasingly scrutinized for their potential to obscure the origins of illicit finances.
The Southern District of New York's prosecutor, Damian Williams, stated, "Maximilian de Hoop Cartier and the other detainees were part of a network that laundered hundreds of millions of dollars from the illegal narcotics trade using cryptocurrencies and the U.S. financial system."
Upon his arrest, Maximilian confirmed his identity and his links to the Cartier family lineage. He is the son of Sara Cartier and Daniel de Hoop, a former member of the Netherlands' Royal House of Orange.
This case arises amid broader concerns about the role of cryptocurrencies like USDT in illegal activities. Tether, the issuer of USDT, recently announced plans to enhance controls over the secondary market circulation of its digital asset. This is part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the use of cryptocurrencies in criminal activities, including money laundering and drug trafficking.
Additionally, the United Nations has reported that criminals are increasingly turning to USDT to launder proceeds and fund illegal operations, highlighting a growing challenge in the intersection of technology and law enforcement.
