Money-Laundering Prosecution Worries Lawyers

According to an indictment unsealed earlier this year, Kuehne was paid about $200,000 for his work, at least some of it allegedly from the money he was vetting. In a series of memos, he told Black the money, initially wired to a trust account controlled by Kuehne, was from legitimate sources, and not drug money. He then gave the money to Black and his associates.

According to the indictment, however, nearly $1.8 million of that money came from fake bank accounts set up by undercover law enforcement agents as part of investigations into money brokers that help drug cartels launder money.

The indictment claims that Kuehne, Gloria Flores Velez, Ochoa's personal accountant, and Oscar Saldarriaga Ochoa, one of Fabio Ochoa's Colombian attorneys, knew that the money was tainted drug money and created fake documents to claim that it came from legitimate sources.

In a statement at the time the indictment was unsealed, Black and several other lawyers who were assisting in Ochoa's defense, said, "During the course of Ben's work on this matter, the lawyers involved in the Ochoa defense saw nothing to suggest that Ben was doing anything other than his typically careful, factual research and legal analysis."

Lawyers for Flores and Saldarriaga, who have both moved from Colombia to Miami while the case is pending, said their clients were not guilty. "She acted in good faith throughout this whole thing and never dreamed she would be in this position," said Henry Bell, Flores' lawyer.

Saldarriaga's lawyer, Joaquin Mendez, said Saldarriaga played a minor role in the case and spent most of his time on Ochoa's defense, not on vetting the money. "We're scratching our heads wondering why they decided to bring this prosecution," he said.

Kuehne attributed $2.3 million of the legal fees to a man named Hernando Saravia, according to the indictment. Of that, $1.8 million were drug proceeds, the indictment says, and were sent to Kuehne from undercover investigators.

In letters to Black, Kuehne said the $1.8 million was from Saravia, whom he described as a reputable businessman in the flower and gem businesses. According to the indictment, Kuehne attached what prosecutors say was a forged letter from Saravia verifying the source of the money.