Inside ICE: Volume 2, Issue 18

Ship Employee Gets 21 Months for Illegal Money Transfers

ST. THOMAS, V.I. — A 44-year-old citizen of the Philippines was sentenced August 19 to serve 21 months in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business with bank accounts in Alaska, Florida, St. Thomas and the Phillipines.

Chuchi Kue pleaded guilty to count one of a four-count indictment charging her with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Kue’s illegal business was first discovered on Dec. 9, 2004 during a routine cabin search on the Dawn Princess cruise ship. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors discovered approximately $20,392 in cash, transaction ledgers and several receipts from money remittance companies in Kue’s cabin.

ICE agents in St. Thomas subsequently conducted a preliminary investigation and arrested Kue on Dec. 9, 2004 after she admitted receiving money from several crewmembers for remittance to the Philippines. Further investigation revealed that Kue transmitted more than $255,000 to the Philippines illegally.

“There are laws that regulate the transmission of currencies in the United States and we, at ICE, will enforce those laws,” said Lydia St. John-Mellado, acting special agent-in-charge of ICE investigations in Puerto Rico. “Neither the United States Virgin Islands nor Puerto Rico will be used as a safe haven for those who try to circumvent our immigration and customs laws.”

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Inside ICE is an e-newsletter produced by the ICE Office of Public Affairs to inform the public about the mission, operations and activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Please send comments and contributions to Russ Bergeron, Editor.

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Russ Bergeron, Editor
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