New York Woman Sentenced in Major Money Laundering Case

Shu Jun Zhen, a 31-year-old resident of New York, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for her involvement in a major money laundering operation. The sentencing took place in the Western District of North Carolina, where Zhen was also ordered to forfeit nearly $23 million. Her activities were part of a Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO) that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from drug trafficking primarily through Mexico.

Zhen's sentencing marks the second significant penalty imposed on members of the CMLO. She was a prolific courier for the organization, responsible for collecting drug trafficking proceeds from U. S.

-based traffickers and depositing the money into shell company bank accounts. These accounts were registered under both real and fake identities by other CMLO members. Zhen personally handled approximately $23 million of illicit cash.

In July 2025, Zhen pleaded guilty to several charges, including one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature and source of illicit proceeds, and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. She admitted to being aware that the funds she laundered were drug trafficking proceeds.

The investigation into Zhen's activities was conducted by the DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office, with assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, which targets the financial networks supporting drug trafficking organizations.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division emphasized the importance of prosecuting money launderers, stating that these networks are essential to the survival of the drug trade. U.

S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina highlighted the complexity of such cases and the significant impact of dismantling these sophisticated cartels.

The case also involved the seizure of approximately $670,000 in U. S. currency and 12 firearms from a drug trafficking organization that utilized the CMLO's services.

The prosecution team included Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Kenneth Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), along with Assistant U. S. Attorneys Nick Miller and Seth Johnson.

The MNF is dedicated to eliminating drug cartels and protecting the U.S. financial system by pursuing criminal prosecutions and asset recovery actions against financial facilitators and international money launderers. This case underscores the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies to hold accountable those who facilitate drug trafficking and to dismantle the financial networks that fuel these criminal enterprises.