3 siblings charged with laundering money through businesses

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Three siblings have been charged with running a money-laundering scheme through their Rhode Island businesses.

Authorities say Yohanna Sanchez and her brothers Andry and Donny Sanchez were indicted last week in connection with a wiretap investigation in May dubbed “Operation Stop the Flow” that led to the drug arrests of nearly three dozen people.

Police say the defendants were on the wiretap, but evidence shows they were also laundering money and evading taxes through their Providence businesses.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty to money laundering and tax offenses and are free on bail.

A third brother was arrested on a weapons charge. He was held without bail last week as a violator.

Yohanna Sanchez’s lawyer tells the Providence Journal the family will continue to run the business as usual because “they are innocent.”