RJ Cipriani on Meeting Owen Hanson to Unknowingly Launder $1.5M in Cartel Drug Money (Part 1)

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In a recent interview with VladTV, professional gambler RJ Cipriani recounted his inadvertent involvement in laundering approximately $1.5 million linked to cartel drug money through Owen Hanson, infamously dubbed the "Cocaine Quarterback." RJ explained how he met Hanson—introduced by Hanson’s ex-wife, Crystal Velarde—over the phone and never met him in person. Hanson was laundering drug profits by passing the money through high-stakes gambling, a strategy suggested by his accountant and girlfriend, to move millions without raising suspicion.

RJ, who has been gambling since age 16 and aiding friends occasionally with their bets via his charity Robinhood 702, was unaware the funds were illicit. He stressed his cautious approach to gambling with others’ money, usually only working with people he trusted. Despite Hanson’s boast of $2 million daily earnings from cocaine trafficking in Australia, RJ expressed skepticism over the scale of those claims. Ultimately, RJ’s role as a gambler became an unintentional conduit for laundering cartel funds through casinos.