BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts sheriff’s office captain has been indicted on charges he helped a fishing magnate known as The Codfather smuggle profits of an illegal fishing scheme to Portugal. The U.S. attorney’s office for Massachusetts says Jamie Melo
BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts sheriff’s office captain has been indicted on charges he helped a fishing magnate known as The Codfather smuggle profits of an illegal fishing scheme to Portugal.
The U.S. attorney’s office for Massachusetts says Jamie Melo was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday on charges of bulk cash smuggling, structuring and conspiracy. The Bristol County sheriff’s office captain was arrested in August.
Authorities say Melo helped fishing magnate Carlos Rafael smuggle cash overseas. Rafael pleaded guilty to charges including tax evasion and false labeling and fish identification and was sentenced to nearly four years in prison.
Melo’s lawyer says Melo had no reason to believe he was engaging in criminal activity at the time.
A sheriff’s office spokesman says Melo has been suspended without pay.
