After Guilty Plea of Max Cartier for Crypto Laundering Colombian Cash US Delays on Co-D Removal Order

After Guilty Plea of Max Cartier for Crypto Laundering Colombian Cash US Delays on Co-D Removal Order by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 9 – Charged with laundering money for Colombian drug cartel using the crypto currency Tether, Maximilien De Hoop Cartier was arrested in Miami in February 2024.   On July 18, Cartier was brought by Marshals before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil for a change of attorney proceeding. Inner City Press was there.  On December 11 Inner City Press went to the proceeding and live tweeted it, here. Bail was denied, on risk of flight grounds. Trial is set for June 9, 2025. By TRULINCS email dated January 22, 2025 De Hoop Cartier wrote in seeking to relieve his lawyer from the case and get his money back. The lawyer wrote in with a copy of his fee agreement for $300,000, with $100,000 due immediately. Judge Vyskocil set a February 6 hearing at 2 pm. On January 30 de Hoop Cartier filed his own motion to dismiss, contesting among other things venue. On February 5, he wrote in that the fee agreement filed by his (former?) counsel, he had never seen it... On February 6, Inner City Press was in the courtroom when Cartier declined to waive attorney client privilege and got a new CJA lawyer, who indicated she can do the June 9 trial (which Judge Vyskocil said she does not want to move, does not want to reward what has happened). On February 21, Judge Vykocil ruled: "the parties shall appear for a conference on February 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM." Inner City Press went: "Judge: Sir, I think you are playing games, changing counsel repeatedly. We won't do it again. The dates will stick. Defense: One of the discovery drives is corrupted.  Judge: Trial is set for Nov 17, with Speedy Trial Act time excluded until then. [Six lawyers have come in for a TRO argument involving Bitcoin. One of them comes over to (spin?) Inner City Press]   On April 25 the defense moved to dismiss counts 2, 3 and 4 of the superseding indictment... On May 16 (presented Saturday May 17 and Monday May 19) two co-defendants came into SDNY and were detained on consent.Areiza Ceballos and Estrada Echeverry. On July 1, Inner City Press went to their proceeding. The AUSA, wearing shades, said there are three more in Colombia, but wanted to keep these two in the November trial. It still may happen. Afterward in the docket: "Next Conference date August 27th at 11am." More than a dozen drives for discovery were cited... On July 11 the AUSA was in the Magistrates Court, as was Inner City Press, when two more were extradited in, arriving the day before in Westchester and in WCDOC orange. Both were detained on consent. On July 15, two of the co-defendants were arraigned: "Arraignment as to Leonardo De Jesus Zuluaga Duque (2) Count 1,1s,2,6s; and Alexander Egidio Areiza Ceballos (5) Count 2,6s held on 7/15/2025. Arraignment held. Both defendants plead not guilty. Next Conference date August 27th at 11am." On July 28 the US Attorney's Office wrote in announcing their S3 indictment which "does not include a charge for engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, which was previously charged in Count Four to the S2 indictment." On August 27 Inner City Press went to the proceeding of four co-defendants. Of one, the AUSA said plea talks require conferring with Main Justice and Colombia officials - will they vary from the crimes extradited on? Guns? Trial was set for January 26-30, 2025, with motions before. On October 10, Judge Vyskocil set Cartier's change of plea- to guilty - for October 15. It began - but was continued to October 20: "Change of Plea Hearing as to Maximilien De Hoop Cartier held on 10/15/2025. Change of plea held. Kathleen Cassidy and Chloe Lewis appeared for the defendant. AUSAs Jennifer Ong and Eli Mark appeared for the government. Proceeding continued to October 20th, 2025 at 11:30." But it was on October 23 that it was consummated: "Change of Plea Hearing as to Maximilien De Hoop Cartier held on 10/23/2025. Change of plea held. Kathleen Cassidy and Chloe Lewis appeared for the defendant. AUSA Jennifer Ong and Eli Mark appeared for the government. Defendant waived indictment and plead guilty to a 2 count information. Sentencing to be held February 3rd, 2026 at 11:30" On November 12 another plead was set: "as to Adrian Fernando Areiza Ceballos: Change of Plea Hearing set for 11/24/2025 at 02:30 PM in Courtroom 18C, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil."   That plea, too, was consummated: "proceedings held before Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil: Change of Plea Hearing as to Adrian Fernando Areiza Ceballos held on 11/24/2025. hange of plea held. Jean DeSales Barrett appeared for defendant. AUSAs Jennifer Ong and Eli Mark appeared for the government. Defendant plea guilty to count 6 of the S2 superseding indictment. Sentencing to be held February 24th, 2026 at 2pm." On December 11, another:  "Change of Plea Hearing as to Felipe Estrada Echeverry held on 12/11/2025. Defendant waived indictment and plea guilty to the S(6) information. Sentencing is scheduled for April 8th, 2026 at 11am." On December 15 Judge Vyskocil set trial for three defendants: "TRIAL SCHEDULING ORDER as to Leonardo De Jesus Zuluaga Duque, Erica Milena Lopez Ortiz. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that any Rule 12 motions shall be filed on or before February 6, 2026, with oppositions thereto due on or before February 27, 2026, and replies in support thereof due on or before March 6, 2026. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that any motions in limine shall be filed on or before April 10, 2026, with oppositions thereto due on or before May 1, 2026, and replies in support thereof due on or before May 8, 2026. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Parties shall submit on or before May 1, 2026, joint proposed voir dire, jury instructions, and verdict forms in accordance with Rule 5.A. of the Courts Individual Rules of Practice in Criminal Cases. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that trial in this matter will commence on June 9, 2026." On March 24 for an April 8 sentencing, counsel to co-defendant Echeverry asked for time served. On April 1 the US Attorney's Office wrote in asking for 60 months on April 8. On April 9 - with the judgment / sentence still not in the docket - this mea culpa letter from the US Attorney's Office, with Judge Vyskocil's endorsement: "ENDORSED LETTER as to (S6 24-Cr-133-4) Felipe Estrada Echeverry addressed to Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil from Jennifer N. Ong/ Eli J. Mark, Assistant United States Attorneys, dated April 9, 2026 re: The Government respectfully submits this letter to inform the Court that yesterday, promptly after the defendant's sentencing proceeding, it contacted counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") to prepare a consent judicial removal order ("JRO"). However, we were informed by DHS counsel that it was DHS's view that a JRO cannot be drafted and entered after the sentencing proceeding is complete, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 238(c)(1), which confers jurisdiction for the district court judge to enter a JRO "at the time of sentencing." Counsel for DHS recommended instead that an alternative route is for the defendant to enter into a stipulated removal order, which would be done by an immigration judge not a district judge, after the defendant completes his sentence. We communicated this information to defense counsel and understand it is the defendant's intent to proceed in that manner instead since a JRO is no longer possible. ENDORSEMENT: The Government should have coordinated the preparation of a consent JRO prior to sentencing. The Parties are directed to file a stipulation on the docket reflecting Defendant's intent to seek upon completion of his sentence a removal order from an immigration judge. (Signed by Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil on 4/9/2026)." Shortly after Inner City Press published the above, this was docketed: "Defendant was sentenced to 48 months in prison and no supervised release." No supervision because removal. Except...    The complaint said "Cartier is purportedly a direct descendant of Louis-Francois Cartier, the master jeweler...and purports to be a philanthropist, entrepreneur, art collector and industrialist and investor in beverages and 'fintech' as well as a singer under the name 'Max Cartier.'"   Online it's said "In 2007 he founded Patagonia, which produces fine wine, premium beer and also some of the best water in the world." And his music, or photos of concerts, are on his now-dormant Instagram.  The case is USA v. Cartier, et al., 1:24-cr-133 (Vyskocil) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. 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