Former bank vice-presidents sentenced to 20 years in prison for laundering drug proceeeds

May 22, 2002

Blanca Piedad Ortiz, a former vice president with BankAtlantic and Mega Bank, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for plotting with money brokers to funnel drug profits from Miami to Colombia.

Judge Donald Middlebrooks during Monday's sentencing hearing called Ortiz the leader of the scheme ''who abused a position of private trust.'' She had overseen the banks international banking operations, which handles million of dollars in overseas transactions.

Prosecutors Russell R. Killinger and Michelle Alvarez and case agents determined that Ortiz had laundered at least $97 million.

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