Ex-DEA Chief Accused of Laundering Millions for Cartel, Betraying Public Trust

Federal agents raided the Oakton, Virginia home of Paul Campo, a former DEA executive, and charged him with agreeing to launder millions for Mexico's notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Campo, 61, had a decorated career with the DEA, rising from Special Agent to Deputy Chief of the Office of Financial Operations, where he oversaw $17 million in funding and led global money laundering operations. However, the Department of Justice alleges that Campo's loyalty was compromised after he left the agency in 2016. According to the DOJ, Campo and his friend, Robert Sensi, offered to facilitate cocaine trafficking in New York City and launder $12 million for the CJNG, which is responsible for 'countless deaths through violence and drug trafficking' in the US and Mexico. The CJNG, led by Nemesio Ruben 'El Mencho' Oseguera-Cervantes, is a transnational criminal group that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trade, transporting cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other controlled substances into the US. The indictment of Campo sends a strong message that those who betray the public trust will be held accountable, said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. Campo, who now holds a security clearance, has been involved in various post-DEA ventures, including founding the Global Financial Consultants and attending meetings of the Electronic Warfare Associates board of directors. The US designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2023, highlighting the group's violent and intimidating tactics.