Daniel Shaun Zilke, known as “the Englishman,” was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for running a drug money laundering scheme, according to the Department of Justice. He was also fined $50,000 and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the DEA.
Zilke, 49, was arrested in May last year and pleaded guilty to aiding drug distribution, money laundering, and obstructing justice. For five years, starting in 2015, Zilke helped drug cartels move millions of dollars from the U.S. to Mexico, often using fake charities and businesses as cover.
The investigation began when a DEA agent, working undercover, posed as a money launderer and connected with Zilke. Zilke admitted to offering to move hundreds of millions of dollars using a Dallas charity’s bank account. He and his associates, including Jeffrey Thompson of Dallas and Gustavo Aldana-Martinez of California, coordinated cash pickups from drug traffickers and funneled the money through various accounts.
The scheme unraveled after Zilke attempted to steal $150,000 in DEA funds, lied to agents, and tried to cover it up. Aldana-Martinez is already serving a four-year sentence, while Thompson awaits sentencing.
Zilke’s case serves as a reminder of the Justice Department’s commitment to dismantling organized crime and protecting American communities.
