MIAMI (AP) — A longtime informant who traveled the world partying with rogue U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents avoided a prison sentence this week after admitting he failed to pay taxes on nearly $4 million he received for years of undercover work.
Andres Zapata was sentenced Wednesday in Austin, Texas, to time served after agreeing to cooperate in a decade-long investigation implicating several agents in misconduct. Zapata, 48, was extradited to the U.S. last year from Colombia, where he had worked closely with José Irizarry, a former DEA agent serving a 12-year sentence for skimming millions from money laundering stings to fund luxury travel and expensive parties.
Zapata, a professional money launderer, received $3.8 million from the DEA from 2015-2020 for his work as a confidential informant. He pleaded guilty last July to failing to report those earnings on tax returns. While required by the DEA to report income to the IRS, informants are rarely prosecuted for failing to do so.
Zapata’s lawyer, Don Bailey, contended it was unusual for prosecutors to target someone who helped U.S. law enforcement combat violent cartels for an offense he reportedly didn’t understand. He commented that informants often do not receive 1099s or W-9s necessary for reporting income.
Zapata declined to comment but expressed readiness to move forward with his life after spending over a year in a Colombian prison awaiting extradition. U.S. District Judge David Ezra noted Zapata's cooperation with the government, ordering him to pay $1.2 million in restitution reflecting the tax loss.
Zapata, whose relationship with the DEA goes back to 1998, became one of their most notable informants, reportedly earning over $4.6 million from the agency. Operating under DEA assignments, he allegedly took part in extravagant activities, enjoying the perks of his role while facilitating operations against drug trafficking.
Internal records and testimonies from Irizarry reveal that Zapata was not solely a source of information but also involved in questionable activities, including procuring prostitutes and facilitating luxurious gatherings, raising concerns over ethical standards and the actual mission of law enforcement agencies.
Andres Zapata was sentenced Wednesday in Austin, Texas, to time served after agreeing to cooperate in a decade-long investigation implicating several agents in misconduct. Zapata, 48, was extradited to the U.S. last year from Colombia, where he had worked closely with José Irizarry, a former DEA agent serving a 12-year sentence for skimming millions from money laundering stings to fund luxury travel and expensive parties.
Zapata, a professional money launderer, received $3.8 million from the DEA from 2015-2020 for his work as a confidential informant. He pleaded guilty last July to failing to report those earnings on tax returns. While required by the DEA to report income to the IRS, informants are rarely prosecuted for failing to do so.
Zapata’s lawyer, Don Bailey, contended it was unusual for prosecutors to target someone who helped U.S. law enforcement combat violent cartels for an offense he reportedly didn’t understand. He commented that informants often do not receive 1099s or W-9s necessary for reporting income.
Zapata declined to comment but expressed readiness to move forward with his life after spending over a year in a Colombian prison awaiting extradition. U.S. District Judge David Ezra noted Zapata's cooperation with the government, ordering him to pay $1.2 million in restitution reflecting the tax loss.
Zapata, whose relationship with the DEA goes back to 1998, became one of their most notable informants, reportedly earning over $4.6 million from the agency. Operating under DEA assignments, he allegedly took part in extravagant activities, enjoying the perks of his role while facilitating operations against drug trafficking.
Internal records and testimonies from Irizarry reveal that Zapata was not solely a source of information but also involved in questionable activities, including procuring prostitutes and facilitating luxurious gatherings, raising concerns over ethical standards and the actual mission of law enforcement agencies.
