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Federal agents raided the New York-area home Friday of a former senior Drug Enforcement Administration official from the Obama era and charged him with conspiring to launder millions of dollars for one of Mexico’s most violent cartels while offering to arm it with military-grade weapons and explosives.
Paul Campo, who retired in 2016 as DEA deputy chief of the Office of Financial Operations after 25 years of service, and his associate Robert Sensi were arrested Thursday in New York on charges of narcoterrorism, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
A newly unsealed indictment alleges the pair agreed to launder $12 million in narcotics proceeds for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, converted $750,000 in cash to cryptocurrency, and facilitated payment for 220 kilograms of cocaine worth roughly $5 million on the street.
BREAKING - The DEA’s chief financial director under Obama, Paul Campo, who resigned in 2016 ahead of Trump’s administration, had his Virginia home raided and has been charged for agreeing to launder $12 million for the CJNG, a Mexican cartel, while acting in his role at the DEA. pic.twitter.com/KL0tz6RsBn
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) December 5, 2025
Prosecutors say Campo repeatedly touted his quarter-century of DEA expertise while advising undercover sources posing as CJNG operatives on fentanyl production, real-estate money laundering and the procurement of commercial drones, AR-15s, M4 carbines, M16 rifles, grenade launchers, rocket-propelled grenades and C-4 plastic explosive.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated in full: "As alleged, Paul Campo and Robert Sensi conspired to assist CJNG, one of the most notorious Mexican cartels that is responsible for countless deaths through violence and drug trafficking in the United States and Mexico. As part of that support, the defendants laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars they believed to be CJNG drug proceeds, agreed to launder millions more, and even agreed to use their financial expertise to facilitate cocaine trafficking right here in New York City.
"By participating in this scheme, Campo betrayed the mission he was entrusted with pursuing for his 25-year career with the DEA. CJNG is a violent and corrupting criminal enterprise that New Yorkers want broken. I commend the extraordinary efforts of the DEA in aggressively pursuing CJNG and those who support their deadly and corrupt efforts, no matter who they may be."
Both men remain in federal custody.
They face up to life in prison if convicted on the top counts. The investigation continues.
