Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Launder Drug Profits
Waldyr Antonio Pizzotti, 52, a Santa Ana health care worker, pleaded guilty Thursday to participation in a conspiracy to help launder $1.5 million in illegal drug profits for Colombian-based cocaine traffickers operating in the Los Angeles area, the U.S. attorney’s office announced.
Pizzotti also pleaded guilty to two counts of helping to cause false currency transaction reports to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service, according to Assistant U.S. Atty. John Gordon.
Pizzotti, a Villa Park resident, faces up to 15 years in prison and a $750,000 fine when he returns for sentencing Oct. 6 before U.S. District Judge Pamela Ann Rymer.
Pizzotti had been indicted by a federal grand jury last week for laundering $200,000 from an undercover agent. According to the indictment, he received $10,000 in commission for laundering $200,000 in narcotics money through Orange County banks.
Also indicted with Pizzotti was Bank of America loan executive Gladys Ayala of Irvine and Anibal Michael Justo of Villa Park.
Justo, 53, pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges of conspiracy and laundering the $200,000 and is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 22. Ayala, 47, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Gordon said Pizzotti was being held at Terminal Island with bail set at $100,000 bail.
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