LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two sisters who ran a toy company have been sentenced in Los Angeles to 37 months in federal prison for their role in helping launder money for Colombian drug traffickers.
Prosecutors had recommended a 15-month sentence for both 58-year-old Meichun Cheng Huang and 53-year-old Ling Yu, who both pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy. U.S. District Judge S. James Otero on Tuesday sentenced the sisters to a longer prison term, noting the scheme lasted for 10 years and he believes they knew the money was coming from drug cartels.
The company also was ordered to forfeit $1 million and pay a $200,000 fine.
The complex scheme involved the deposit of drug money to Angel Toy Corp. bank accounts in exchange for Colombian pesos via the sale and shipment of the company’s toys.
