Overview
- Zhi Dong Zhang, 38, entered a not guilty plea in federal court in Brooklyn before Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky under a second superseding indictment.
- Prosecutors allege he led a transnational operation distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl while laundering at least $77 million through more than 100 U.S. shell firms.
- Court filings cite seizures linked to the network totaling 46 kilograms of cocaine, 58 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly seven kilograms of fentanyl.
- Zhang was extradited from Mexico on October 23, had an initial appearance in Texas the next day, and remains detained with his next court date set for January.
- Parallel charges in the Northern District of Georgia describe 150 companies, 170 bank accounts and about $20 million laundered, with HSI and DEA alleging links to the Sinaloa and CJNG cartels.