A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a 41-year-old local man for helping a Mexican drug trafficking organization move its illegal cash.
David Berger was found guilty on Monday of money laundering and illegally structuring financial transactions.
The verdict followed a week-long trial in U.S. District Court.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that between 2018 and 2021, a Mexico-based cartel moved large amounts of cocaine into U.S. cities, including Chicago.
The group then needed a way to get millions of dollars in profit back across the border.
To move the money, the organization used privately chartered jets.
Berger acted as an intermediary, booking and paying for these flights using the cartel’s drug money.
Prosecutors proved that Berger received over $300,000 in cash from the organization.
To avoid drawing attention from federal authorities, he deposited the money into ATMs in small increments, a tactic known as “structuring” designed to bypass bank reporting requirements.
As stated in a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Berger now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso has scheduled his sentencing hearing for May 12, 2026.
The case was a joint effort by the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit.
