Colombian Crypto Broker Sentenced to 13+ Years for USDT Money Laundering
A Colombian broker known as 'Rey' was sentenced to 160 months in prison for laundering $14.5 million in drug proceeds using Tether's USDT.
A Colombian broker known as 'Rey' was sentenced to 160 months in prison for laundering $14.5 million in drug proceeds using Tether's USDT. Tether (USDT) is trading at ₹94.94 ($0.9995). This is an original Token Times brief based on reporting by Bitcoin.com, with live market data added, as of Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:00:01 UTC.
This case highlights the risks of cryptocurrency misuse in illicit activities and the potential regulatory scrutiny stablecoins face due to their role in money laundering schemes.
- Colombian broker 'Rey' sentenced to 160 months in prison for laundering $14.5M using USDT.
- Operation involved Colombian drug traffickers, unlicensed US crypto exchange, and shell companies.
- USDT's market cap stands at $182.84B, with minimal price impact from the news.
A Colombian cryptocurrency broker, known as 'Rey', has been sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for his role in a money laundering scheme involving 
Tether's USDT. The operation, which laundered $14.5 million in drug proceeds, connected Colombian drug traffickers with an unlicensed American crypto exchange and a network of shell companies.
The case underscores the potential risks associated with the use of cryptocurrencies in illicit activities. Despite the severity of the crime and the lengthy prison sentence, the news has not significantly impacted the price of USDT, which remains stable at $0.999456, with a 24-hour increase of 0.02%.
The operation's complexity, involving multiple entities and jurisdictions, highlights the challenges in regulating and monitoring cryptocurrency transactions. The case may prompt further scrutiny and regulatory action aimed at preventing the misuse of stablecoins in money laundering and other illegal activities.
USDT's circulating supply is currently $182.51 billion, according to DeFiLlama, with a market cap of $182.84 billion. The broader cryptocurrency market remains in a positive trend, with a total market cap of $2.9 trillion and a Fear & Greed Index of 63, indicating a 'Greed' sentiment.
Since this brief published about 2 hours ago, Tether (USDT) has moved from ₹94.94$0.9995 to ₹94.94$0.9995 — +0.00%.
The chart plots USDT's price: grey is the move before this brief published, the vertical dashed line marks the moment it published, the horizontal dashed line is the price then, and the coloured area is the move since — from Token Times's market data (daily resolution). It shows what happened after the news, not that the news caused it; many factors move prices. Not financial advice.
At today's peer-to-peer rate, 1 USDT ≈ ₹103.79 (about $0.9995), up 0.0% over 24 hours. The rupee itself trades about 9.3% above the official rate on the P2P market, so a Indian buyer's effective cost differs from the headline dollar price.
Live market data
Current prices for the asset in this story — live, source-stamped, updated every 15 minutes.
Figures and sectors in this story, checked live against on-chain aggregators · October 21, 2026.
Token Times reads these figures directly from on-chain aggregators (DeFiLlama, mempool.space) at build time — independent of what any outlet reported. Sector totals aggregate every protocol DeFiLlama tracks in that category. Values are live and will change.
Colombian Crypto Broker Sentenced to 13+ Years for USDT Mone — questions & answers
How much money was laundered using USDT?
The operation laundered $14.5 million in drug proceeds using Tether's USDT.
What was the prison sentence for the Colombian broker?
The Colombian broker known as 'Rey' was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison.
What is USDT's current market cap?
USDT's market cap is $182.84 billion, with a circulating supply of $182.51 billion.
How much is 1 Tether worth in rupee today?
About ₹103.79 at the live peer-to-peer (P2P) USDT rate, which is what Indians typically trade at — equivalent to roughly $0.9995. The rupee price moves with both USDT's US-dollar price and the USDT/INR rate; use our Tether in rupee page for any amount.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Bitcoin.com. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.