Bigcypresshunter
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- Dec 15, 2004
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Thieves offer to find loot
At least two who pleaded guilty in $7.4 million heist want to help FBI
By Vanessa Blum
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted August 17 2006
Two people involved in a dramatic cash heist at Miami International Airport in November have offered to meet with investigators and guide them to some of the more than $6 million still missing, according to recent court papers.
Armed gunmen snatched the $7.4 million in broad daylight from an $80 million shipment headed to the Federal Reserve Bank in Miami. For months, the thieves eluded capture. But their good luck would not last.
After Brinks Security, the firm guarding the cash at the time of the robbery, put up a $150,000 reward, someone alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That led to the arrests in February of Onelio Diaz, 27; Jeffrey Boatwright, 32; Karls Monzon, 34; and Cinnamon Monzon, 29.
Diaz, Boatwright and Karls Monzon pleaded guilty to being involved in the crime. Cinnamon Monzon, who is Boatwright's sister and Karls Monzon's wife, admitted that she learned about the robbery after the fact and helped hide some of the cash.
So far, authorities have recovered just $1.26 million of the stolen money.
Roughly $160,000 wrapped in vacuum-packed bundles turned up at the time the four were arrested. In May, FBI agents dug up $300,000 buried below bricks outside the Monzon's south Miami-Dade home. Another $800,000 was discovered beneath the living room floor of a second home belonging to someone not charged in the case.
FBI Special Agent Ricardo Enriquez declined to comment on the investigation, saying only that agents are "still working the case aggressively."
On Monday, a government lawyer filed a brief asking to postpone the defendants' sentencing hearings set for today and Aug. 23.
"At least two of the defendants have requested the opportunity to meet with the investigating agents and this office to discuss the location of the victim's missing money and other related matters," the motion states.
The two defendants are not identified. Lawyers for Diaz and Karls Monzon also filed motions asking to delay sentencing. Diaz's motion said additional time was needed to address matters including the "recovery of monies."
Attorney Richard Houlihan, who represents Diaz, declined to comment further on the missing cash. Diaz, who worked for the security firm guarding the cash shipment, was "tangentially involved" in the heist, Houlihan said.
Criminal defendants often provide helpful information to investigators in hopes of winning more lenient punishments. After sentencing there is less incentive to cooperate with the government.
Cinnamon Monzon told detectives after her arrest she thought several of her husband's friends and relatives had been involved in the scheme and each received about $1 million.
According to a transcript of the interview, Monzon said her husband made a down payment on a $300,000 house and bought a new Mercedes Benz after the robbery. He also bought her jewelry, including a gold Rolex watch with diamonds, Monzon said.
Vanessa Blum can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4605.
At least two who pleaded guilty in $7.4 million heist want to help FBI
By Vanessa Blum
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted August 17 2006
Two people involved in a dramatic cash heist at Miami International Airport in November have offered to meet with investigators and guide them to some of the more than $6 million still missing, according to recent court papers.
Armed gunmen snatched the $7.4 million in broad daylight from an $80 million shipment headed to the Federal Reserve Bank in Miami. For months, the thieves eluded capture. But their good luck would not last.
After Brinks Security, the firm guarding the cash at the time of the robbery, put up a $150,000 reward, someone alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That led to the arrests in February of Onelio Diaz, 27; Jeffrey Boatwright, 32; Karls Monzon, 34; and Cinnamon Monzon, 29.
Diaz, Boatwright and Karls Monzon pleaded guilty to being involved in the crime. Cinnamon Monzon, who is Boatwright's sister and Karls Monzon's wife, admitted that she learned about the robbery after the fact and helped hide some of the cash.
So far, authorities have recovered just $1.26 million of the stolen money.
Roughly $160,000 wrapped in vacuum-packed bundles turned up at the time the four were arrested. In May, FBI agents dug up $300,000 buried below bricks outside the Monzon's south Miami-Dade home. Another $800,000 was discovered beneath the living room floor of a second home belonging to someone not charged in the case.
FBI Special Agent Ricardo Enriquez declined to comment on the investigation, saying only that agents are "still working the case aggressively."
On Monday, a government lawyer filed a brief asking to postpone the defendants' sentencing hearings set for today and Aug. 23.
"At least two of the defendants have requested the opportunity to meet with the investigating agents and this office to discuss the location of the victim's missing money and other related matters," the motion states.
The two defendants are not identified. Lawyers for Diaz and Karls Monzon also filed motions asking to delay sentencing. Diaz's motion said additional time was needed to address matters including the "recovery of monies."
Attorney Richard Houlihan, who represents Diaz, declined to comment further on the missing cash. Diaz, who worked for the security firm guarding the cash shipment, was "tangentially involved" in the heist, Houlihan said.
Criminal defendants often provide helpful information to investigators in hopes of winning more lenient punishments. After sentencing there is less incentive to cooperate with the government.
Cinnamon Monzon told detectives after her arrest she thought several of her husband's friends and relatives had been involved in the scheme and each received about $1 million.
According to a transcript of the interview, Monzon said her husband made a down payment on a $300,000 house and bought a new Mercedes Benz after the robbery. He also bought her jewelry, including a gold Rolex watch with diamonds, Monzon said.
Vanessa Blum can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4605.
