Rose Esquilin Rios, 34, of Winter Haven, Florida, may have taken the phrase “house money” a bit too literally. She’s been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with prosecutors alleging she used drug proceeds from her partner’s cocaine trafficking to secure a mortgage on a new home.
According to the indictment, Rios’s partner was involved in cocaine trafficking in Central Florida. In 2022, after being interviewed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), he sold his house, which had been purchased with drug money, and transferred the proceeds to Rios’s account.
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Rios then used these funds to apply for a mortgage, falsely claiming a substantial income as a delivery driver.
If convicted, Rios could face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The United States is also seeking the forfeiture of $368,207, which represents the amount of the mortgage allegedly obtained through fraudulent means.
It is important to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation, and Rios is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The DEA is investigating the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza is prosecuting the case.
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