A federal grand jury in Charleston has indicted two men from Berkeley County on charges of money laundering and conspiracy. Jimmy Soares De Oliveira Carvalho, 46, and Jose Rivelino Serafim Da Silva, 53, are accused of creating shell companies to facilitate payments for construction laborers, many of whom were undocumented.
The indictment details how Carvalho and Da Silva allegedly operated an unlicensed check-cashing business through these shell companies. From January 2017 until the indictment was filed, they reportedly cashed approximately $74 million in checks for a fee ranging from three to five percent.
Carvalho faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for counts one through 12 and count 17. For counts 13 through 16, he could face up to 10 years. He is currently detained with a detention hearing set for May 23 before United States Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry.
Da Silva also faces up to 20 years in prison for certain counts and up to 10 years for others. His initial court appearance is scheduled alongside Carvalho's on May 23 before Judge Cherry.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Bower and Whit Sowards are handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations by utilizing resources from various Department of Justice initiatives.
It is important to note that all charges are accusations at this stage; both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
