HELP!!!!! What would you do?

Question

Okay here is the situation.......Lets say that your sisters and brothers always used you as their "gopher", you know go for this and go for that. They would send you to the stores and to run errands.
To make a long long story short, one day your sister asked you to go pick her son up from school and then she asked while you were out in town would you do her a favor. She asked you to wire some money Western Union for her. Not really thinking about anything, you went ahead and done it.
Well come to find out a couple of months later, the DEA and FBI raided her home and they search everything. You find out your sisters husband and your sister had been invovled in some kind of money laundering scheme.
Well the DEA had tracked down everyone who had sent money via Western Union and your name gets brought up.
Your sister gets time and so does everyone else that they had proved to get a package back in the mail via UPS containing dope.

Time goes on and nothing ever gets brought up about an indictment on you.
Until just recently the DEA wants you to testify against the main person involved in this crime. Someone you have never met. What do you do? How can they make you testify against someone you never met? Will they try to get an indictment on you? Please give me some advice.

I tried talking to the attorney, but for some reason they said they couldn't swallow what I was telling them. They don't believe me.

I am 25 years old. No I didn't receive any dope packages, and yes the story is real.

Some on here think I am guilty, but I will tell you this. My sister has never done anything illegal like this before. She I thought was a good person. The only thing she had ever done before was receive a speeding ticket. She only started doing these things when she married this man and she didn't know that he was involved in all of this. I honestly didn't know anything about the money being wired for drugs.

Answer 1

GREAT THAT YOU HOLD YOUR SISTER WITH SUCH HIGH REGARD AFTER SHE INVOLVED YOU IN A FELONY. YOU ARE A VERY FAMILY ORIENTED PERSON. TOO BAD SHE DIDN'T VALUE YOU THE SAME WAY.

THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE SMUGGLING / LAUNDERING DIRT-BALL CRIMINAL. YOU SHOULD THINK OF YOURSELF NOW AND COOPERATE WITH THE AUTHORITIES IN THIS SITUATION. TELL ONLY THE TRUTH! DO NOT SAY WHAT YOU ARE UNSURE OF THAT IS A SURE WAY TO GET THE JUDGE TO ARREST YOU. GIVE THE FACTS ONLY, NO OPINIONS.

I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY BUT THIS IS MY BEST ADVICE AS A POLICE OFFICER.

Answer 2

How awful for your sister to put you in this predictament. I would guess that you were under "watchful eyes" when you wired the money as a favor.

Out of caution, I would contact a defense attorney, or ask for one to be appointed for you to give you the proper advice.

Usually, telling the truth is always the best as people really can never keep even their white lies straight in court (been in court for 35 years). Actually, I would suspect that you would have already been in jail as well if they were going to prosecute you.

They say that ignorance is no excuse. Well, I think you were more concerned with helping your sister with her son, and doing an errand, which is exactly what it was to you. I would do a favor for my sisters if they asked me to. However, what is going to be hard to believe is that you had no clue they were doing this. Sisters are usually close.

My gut reaction is that you are saying exactly what you perceived happened : you picked up your nephew and did an errand for your sister at her request - that's it. But since this is criminal, and federal, don't go without a lawyer.

PS
I read you post after I put this up. The attorney doesn't believe you because he/she doesn't understand why you wouldn't know your sister was involved in this situation. What you need to do, if you cannot get an attorney at this time, is do not talk to anyone, no media, nothing. Wait to see if you are indicted, and if you are ask for an attorney. As I said above, most people believe sisters are close and know everything - I, for one, know that sometimes that just isn't the situation.

Good luck - just keep your mouth shut -- best thing you can do at the moment.

Answer 3

Me, I don't think I'd worry to much about it. The maximum you can send through Western Union is $2999 every 30 days. Unless it was some obscene amount like that, you probably wouldn't think anything of it, and wouldn't be under any scrutiny from the DEA. Unless you did it several times that is.
As far as testimony, how much can you say? That you did send money to this place, to an address provided by your sister, under false pretenses? Thats about it. The DEA isn't stupid, and most likely has figured you didn't have any part in it, or else you'd already be under indictment. In cases like this, over long distances, they try to get everyone involved all at once, to prevent anyone being warned and making a break for ir. You weren't in the center group, so I'd rest easy.
I may be wrong in a few points about the DEA's operating proceedure, but it makes sense. Relax.

Answer 4

unless you did anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about. the thing to remember is to just keep a level head and above all else TELL THE TRUTH. to not lie to save a family member, or friend. lieing will only get you into serious trouble, and you can end up in prison for purjury.

not to sound mean, but you might also want to brush up on your english and grammar abilities. you sound like you are a high-school dropout (no offense intended, but it is how you come off) and if you talk that way in a court room, you are far more likely to become a suspect, based on prejudiced ideals long held in the U.S. justice system.

i strongly suggest to you to cooperate with the prosecutors. if they want you to testify, then testify. answer all question they ask to the best of your knowledge, and be honest. if you dont know an answer, then say "i don't know". do not try to assume answers or make things up. it will only make things worse.

also. dress in your most professional attire. if you're not sure what that is, think of the nicest clothes you have. something you would wear to a church, or a wedding (not a tuxedo). the more professional and educated you sound, the less you will be suspected.

Answer 5

It would depend on what kind of sister I had. If she told the DEA that you had nothing to do with it and you were completely oblivious to the situation other than the fact that you were going a favor for her out of your love and courtesy for her, then I would leave the situation alone.

But if she does not stand up for you and she lets you take the fall, I would give her a very big guilt trip on how you were doing her a favor out of kindness and you trusted her and that you are going to be punished for something that you had nothing to do with.

After all, she probably never shared any of the money with you nor had she ever bought you anything. It makes no sence to take the heat for the crime without getting any of the benefits of it.

Answer 6

bummer.
hopefully, ur sister and everyone else involved will tell the authorities that u weren't in the know.
if not, get a good lawyer. u need to prove that u had no knowledge. also explain how u could end up wiring with no knowledge. also if u were in the know...then u would've gotten a lot of money and bought a lot of stuff with it/paid off a lot debt, right? if u could prove all the stuff u have is bought with legally earned income, then maybe that would help too.

Answer 7

Get a lawyer. If you get a subpoena, you have to testify. You just answer the questions. If you don't know, that's your answer. But it sounds like maybe they want to pressure you with the threat of prosecution so that you'll provide some evidence against this other guy, evidence which you say you don't have. Yes, you definitely need a lawyer.

Answer 8

Wiring money in itself is not against the law. If what you say is true, you were an unwitting accomplice and had no intention of breaking the law.
Any prosecution against you in this case would have to prove that you had criminal intent. As I said earlier wiring money isn't against the law, and you didn't have the knowledge to know that the law was being broken.
I wouldn't worry too much if I were you.

Answer 9

Obviously, DEA nor FBI are charging you for any offence, infact you have not commit any either. If they believe that you are involved in the money launching, probably you will be charged. They just want your statement to charge the person involved. Tell them what you know, and there is nothing to be worry about.

Answer 10

They are likley just going to call you to testify that you sent the money and to whom. That will likely be it. You didn't do anything wrong and I doubt that the DA wants to make a case against you. One person who unknowingly helps her sister in a crime. Nah. They have bigger fish to fry.

If you are really concerned, talk to a lawyer before your testify.