Cartier Heir Sentenced to 8 Years for $470M Crypto Drug Money Scheme
A descendant of the Cartier jewelry dynasty received an eight-year prison term after admitting he ran an unlicensed cryptocurrency exchange. Authorities say the platform laundered over $470 million in drug trafficking proceeds. Maximilien de Hoop Cartier, who also performs as singer Max Cartier, set up US shell companies masquerading as tech firms. He used forged contracts and invoices to convert narco-crypto into hard currency and evade bank scrutiny. Dubbed the “Cartier Cell” by federal agents, the operation dates back to 2018. In 2021, DEA agents seized nearly $940,000 in an undercover raid. Cartier later tried to recover some funds with forged documents before his arrest. A federal judge ordered him to forfeit more than $2.3 million and several shell-company accounts. Prosecutors say he exploited gaps in US and international finance to conceal illicit proceeds.
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