Former TD Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Laundering $5.5 Million to Colombia

Florida man admitted to accepting bribes and abusing his banking position to facilitate thousands of illicit ATM withdrawals tied to drug proceeds.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 30, 2026|Washington, D.C.

A former employee of TD Bank, N.A. has pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting bribes and facilitating the laundering of more than $5.5 million in illicit funds to Colombia, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Court filings state that Leonardo Ayala, 25, of Homestead, Florida, exploited his position at the bank between June and November 2023 to assist an international money laundering scheme involving drug proceeds. Prosecutors say Ayala opened fraudulent bank accounts, issued more than 150 debit cards to shell companies, and reactivated debit cards that TD Bank had previously restricted due to suspicious activity.

Authorities allege that the compromised accounts and debit cards were then used to conduct more than 12,000 ATM withdrawals in Colombia, moving approximately $5.5 million out of the United States. In return for his role, Ayala received over $6,000 in bribes, paid in cash and through a peer-to-peer digital payment network.

Ayala pleaded guilty to two federal charges: conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and receipt of bribes by a bank employee. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the bank bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 11. A federal judge will determine the final sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Morristown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

Federal officials said the case highlights continued efforts to safeguard the integrity of the U.S. financial system and to hold financial institution employees accountable when they facilitate criminal activity.

Sources

U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs