The United States Treasury on Thursday imposed sanctions on members of the Albanian Hysa family in Mexico, accusing them of using their casino and restaurant empire as a cover to launder money for the Mexican Sinaloa cartel.
The US Treasury said that "the Hysa Organized Crime Group (HOCG) was targeted today following joint work between the United States and the Government of Mexico."
"The United States and Mexico are working together to combat money laundering in Mexico's gambling sector. Our message to those who support the cartels is clear: You will be held accountable," said Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.
Overall, 27 individuals and entities have been blacklisted.
The Hysa family has in the past publicly denied any connection to organized crime.
Who is the Hysa family and what are they accused of?
According to the Treasury, the Hysa family, or HOCG, includes family members Luftar Hysa, Arben Hysa, Ramiz Hysa, Fatos Hysa, and Fabjon Hysa.
This family is accused of using its influence through investments or control over various businesses based in Mexico - including gambling dens and restaurants - to launder money gained from drug trafficking.
The US believes that HOCG acts with the consent of the Sinaloa cartel, which maintains criminal control over most of the territory where the group carries out its activities.
Luftari, who lives between Mexico and Canada, is often seen in the media as one of the key members of the Hysa family, giving public interviews about the family's businesses in Mexico and Europe.
Luftari, Fatosi, Arbeni and Fabjoni worked closely with an American person to launder money, including transporting large amounts of cash from Mexico to the United States, where that American person's company was used to launder the money, according to the US Treasury.
Luftar and Arben used a European-based entity to enrich themselves by laundering illicit money belonging to suspected drug traffickers. Luftar also owns or runs several companies used by the Hysa family.
Arben owns or runs several companies used by the Hysa family in Mexico. He has also been involved in smuggling large amounts of cash into the United States for the purpose of laundering it, as well as using gambling establishments and luxury restaurants in Mexico to launder drug money.
Ramiz has been involved in using gambling establishments and luxury restaurants in Mexico as a cover for laundering money from drug sales.
Fatos, along with Luftar, Arben, and Fabjon, were involved in smuggling large amounts of cash into the United States for later laundering.
Fatos and Fabjoni have also been involved in using a European-based entity to enrich themselves by laundering illicit money belonging to persons suspected of drug trafficking.
With today's action, OFAC also targets several individuals and entities within the Hysa family network.
The Mexico-based company, Entretenimiento Palmero, SA de CV, owned by Arben, is central to HOCG's operations.
Mexican citizen Gilberto Lopez Lopez acts as its commissioner. While Albanian citizen, but based in Mexico, Eselda Baku (formerly Eselda Hysa), Ramiz's daughter, is a member of its Board of Directors.
What do the sanctions against them mean?
Any assets of the Hysa family in the US, or that depend on US financial systems, are blocked and cannot be used without OFAC approval, the US Treasury announced.
American persons or entities cannot do business with them (transfer money, goods, services) without a license.
Financial institutions, American or international, that use the American system should exercise special caution or not cooperate with these entities or with entities that are more than 50 percent owned by them./ REL
