United States v. Banco Internacional/Bital S.A.

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 56.

Defendant’s Motion pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 56 came on regularly for hearing before this Court on April 17, 2000. After reviewing the materials submitted by the parties, argument of counsel, and the case file, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

I. Background

A. Factual Background

The Government operated a money laundering “sting,” Operation Casablanca, directed at Mexican banks from approximately October 1996 to April 1998. (Stmnt. of Genuine Issues (“Facts”) ¶ 2.) For this operation, the Government utilized “money brokers,” and confidential reliable informants who had pre-existing connections to drug traffickers and money launderers. As the Government describes it, the money laundering operated as follows:

(Compitió 16-18.)

Defendant Banco Internacional/Bital is a Mexican bank that was targeted by Operation Casablanca. (Facts ¶¶ 1-5.) At least one Bital employee, Gildardo Martinez-Lopez, engaged in money laundering activities with undercover agents. (Facts ¶¶ 5-7.) Martinez became involved after an informant explained that the informant was a money launderer for the Cali cartel and…