Chocron to Pay $103K in Money Laundering Scheme

Jose Morely Chocron pled guilty to count one of a federal indictment for his role in a conspiracy to commit money laundering through the proposed use of a horseman's account at a racetrack and was ordered March 17 to pay a forfeiture of $103,250 as part of the judgment against him in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York.

Chocron, who accepted a plea agreement with the government, was one of three individuals indicted Aug. 6, 2020, in a scheme to launder what they believed were criminal proceeds. Also charged were trainer Alfredo Lichoa and owner Isaac Schachtel.

According to court documents, beginning in May 2019 a confidential source and two undercover agents provided Chocron and his associates with more than $1.5 million that was represented as the proceeds of bribe payments to Brazilian public officials, which they agreed to launder.

Lichoa was sentenced Feb. 17 to three months in prison for his role in the scheme.

The indictment details how Schachtel allegedly discussed with an undercover agent the possibility of laundering funds through a horseman's account, which is a financial account established through a racetrack by a trainer or owner for the purpose of sending and receiving payments involving racehorses.

On Feb. 11, 2020, Schachtel and Lichoa met with two undercover agents who gave Lichoa $50,000 that was purported to be from bribe money from Brazilian politicians. Later that month, Lichoa told an undercover agent he deposited the $50,000 in a horseman's account controlled by Schachtel in order to purchase a racehorse.

The court documents revealed the money was not used to buy a horse nor was it returned to the undercover agent.