Narcos' money launderer busted trying to steal $150,000 in DEA undercover funds

A 49-year-old man who laundered millions of dollars in narcotics-related funds from the U.S. to international drug trafficking organizations and who attempted to steal nearly $200,000 from the Drug Enforcement Administration has been sentenced to more than 7 years in prison, federal officials announced last week.  

In a news release, officials at the U.S. Department of Justice say Daniel Shaun Zilke, also known as “The Englishman,” oversaw the large money-laundering conspiracy on behalf of drug traffickers for several years.  

An investigation into Zilke began in late 2015 when he was contacted by an undercover DEA agent.  

During the course of that relationship, the 43-year-old told the federal agent that he had a European client who needed hundreds of millions of dollars moved to Mexico and that he could utilize the bank account of a charity in Dallas, Texas to help launder the funds.  

“The undercover agent agreed to assist Zilke by allowing him to use bank accounts associated with cash-intensive businesses,” the release details. “Subsequently, Zilke and his associates arranged numerous pickups of large sums of cash from drug traffickers in cities all over the country.” 

At “The Englishman’s” direction, funds were deposited into various accounts, including one in the name of a purported charity called Peace Through Water Foundation and another controlled by a man in Pico Rivera.  

Prosecutors said that Zilke and his co-conspirators were paid a percentage of the amounts moved through their respective accounts.  

In 2019, the 43-year-old became cooperating individual for the DEA, offering to expose the money laundering organization and took $200,000 of government money to be delivered to 63-year-old Dallas resident Jeffrey Mark Thompson.  

“The intent was for Thompson to launder the money through his bank accounts and return the money to DEA undercover accounts,” the release stated. “However, approximately two weeks after the cash delivery, Zilke returned to Thompson’s residence and took back $150,000 without telling the DEA agents.” 

Officials said he repeatedly lied and made excuses for why it was taking so long to receive the wire transfer for the entire $200,000.  

Zilke, who has been in custody since May 2023, pleaded guilty in December of that year to conspiracy to aid and abet drug distribution, conspiracy to launder money and obstruction of an official government proceeding for stealing and attempting to cover up the theft of $150,000 in undercover DEA funds.  

The 43-year-old, who was most recently a resident of Mexico City, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, fined $50,000 and ordered to $150,000 in restitution to the DEA.  

Two other convictions in this case include Gustavo Adolfo Aldana-Martinez, 58, of Pico Rivera, who is serving four years after a jury convicted him in Dec. 2023 for money laundering and conspiracy to conceal drug proceeds.  

Thompson was another conviction. He pled guilty in Nov. 2023 to conspiracy to aid and abet drug distribution, money laundering conspiracy and concealment money laundering of drug trafficking proceeds. The 63-year-old is awaiting sentencing and faces up to life in prison.