Man charged for helping corporate thieves hides $20 million in stolen cash inside his bed’s box spring

A man worked with the founders of TelexFree, and hid millions of dollars in stolen cash inside the box spring of a bed, according to police in Massachusetts. Approximately $20 million in cash was found hidden inside the box spring in a Westborough apartment. It was seized and a Brazilian man was arrested in connection with conspiring to launder proceeds of the massive TelexFree pyramid scheme. Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha, 28, was charged with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. According to the complaint, several years ago, federal agents searched the headquarters of TelexFree, Inc., in Marlborough. Later that day, Carlos Wanzeler, one of the founders of the company, allegedly fled to Brazil, where he has remained. Wanzeler and TelexFree co-founder James Merrill were indicted on charges that they operated TelexFree as a massive pyramid scheme.  Merrill pleaded guilty to those charges. The complaint alleges that an intermediary working on Wanzeler’s behalf, contacted an associate for help transferring millions of dollars of TelexFree money, still hidden in the greater Boston area, from the United States to Brazil. 
The associate, who subsequently became a cooperating witness for the government, allegedly arranged with Wanzeler’s nephew in Brazil to launder the cash through Hong Kong, convert it to Brazilian reals, and transfer it to Brazilian accounts. According to court documents, Rocha, who was acting as a courier for Wanzeler’s nephew, flew from Brazil to JFK Airport in New York City a few days ago. Recently, Rocha met the cooperating witness at a restaurant in Hudson, and allegedly gave him $2.2 million in a suitcase.  After the meeting, agents followed Rocha to an apartment complex in Westborough. That night, federal agents searched an apartment at the Westborough complex and seized a massive stockpile of cash hidden in a box spring.  The cash appears to total approximately $20 million. Rocha faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.