A Birmingham man who was part of a gang which laundered £23.4 million of dirty cash into cryptocurrency have been jailed.
Carlos Zapata, who was also known as Zia Chowdhury and John Galt, played a key role in cleaning money for organised crime groups between January 2018 and June 2020.
The illicit operation was headed by Michael Konnor, 27 and Shiraz Khan, 47, and together with John Geddes, Zapata, 58, would move the cash and provide key links to Irish and Kurdish criminal groups.
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The men laundered money through personal and business bank accounts before transferring it to third party cryptocurrency traders.
Even after their arrest in December 2019, Konnor and Khan continued to launder more than £4.5million and adapted their tactics in a bid to cover their tracks.
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They went on to use companies, bank and crypto accounts in the names of third parties.
The men also exchanged incriminating messages about the collection of cash where kidnap, extortion and drug dealing was discussed on the encrypted communications network EncroChat.
One encrypted message, which was sent in April 2020 to Khan, who had the handle name MuteOrchid, said: “The truth is he will not want to pay.
“He will only pay cos we will have his son. Basically, he will be kidnapped and released when money hits account. His son is his weakness.”
Khan, Geddes and Zapata were all convicted following a nine-week trial at Southwark Crown Court. Michael Konnor pleaded guilty during trial on February 18, 2026.
Zapata of Baldwins Lane, Hall Green, was jailed for 5 years and 9 months.
Konnor of Braund Avenue, Ealing, London, was imprisoned for 4 years 6 months.
Khan of Edgehill Rd, London was given an 11 year sentence and Geddes, 76, of Sedgwick Park, Horsham, West Sussex, was jailed for 6 years and 6 months.
Margaret Mousley, Deputy Director of HMRC’S Fraud Investigation Service, said: “The messages exchanged by this gang shows the link between money laundering and the serious and organised criminals that bring misery to our communities.
“Even after they were arrested this brazen gang continued to collect cash from other criminals and tried to cover their tracks by converting it into cryptocurrency.
“These sentences should serve as a warning that we have the skills and resources to investigate complex money laundering cases and will bring those responsible to justice.”
Giorgina Venturella, Specialist Prosecutor in the CPS, said: “These men laundered money on behalf of gangs. Despite the cash seizure, arrest and searches, the money laundering operation continued.
“Cash continued to be collected, monies paid into and transferred between bank accounts, and cryptocurrency purchased.
“Konnor and Khan evolved their modus operandi in an effort to avoid further law enforcement attention, utilising the encrypted medium of Encrochat to communicate regarding the organising of cash collections, bank transfers and Bitcoin purchases.
“By taking down this group, HMRC and the CPS have disrupted a multi-million-pound international criminal enterprise. The CPS will be applying to confiscate the proceeds of these defendants’ crimes.”
Action to recover the proceeds of crime has been launched.