Ex-DEA Boss Accused of Arming Cartel Killers and Laundering Millions in ‘Total Betrayal’
A man who spent a quarter-century climbing the ranks of the Drug Enforcement Administration, eventually running its massive financial operations, is now sitting in a jail cell, accused of switching sides to work for one of the world’s deadliest terror organizations.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed an explosive indictment Friday charging Paul Campo, 61, and his associate, 75-year-old Robert Sensi, with narcoterrorism, claiming the pair conspired to wash millions of dollars for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and advise them on how to acquire military-grade weaponry.
The allegations paint a picture of a stunning fall from grace. Campo, who retired in 2016 as the Deputy Chief of the DEA’s Office of Financial Operations, allegedly used his deep knowledge of federal law enforcement to help what he believed were cartel representatives evade detection.
“As alleged, a former DEA official betrayed the public trust and aided CJNG—a cartel tied to extreme violence—by conspiring to launder money and support cocaine trafficking in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.
Drones, Grenades, and Dirty Money
According to the indictment, the scheme began late last year when Sensi, a resident of Boca Raton, Florida, began meeting with a contact he believed represented the Mexican cartel. In reality, the contact was a confidential source working for the government.
Sensi allegedly bragged that he had a friend—a former high-level DEA official—who could help the cartel clean its dirty cash and provide sensitive inside information on federal investigations.
Prosecutors say the relationship quickly escalated from finance to warfare. During recorded meetings, Campo and Sensi allegedly discussed helping the cartel procure an arsenal of heavy weaponry, including AR-15s, M4 carbines, grenade launchers, and rocket-propelled grenades.
The conversation reportedly turned dark when the topic of drones came up. The confidential source described strapping explosives to drones to “send it over there, boom.” When asked how much C-4 explosive the drones could carry, Sensi allegedly replied that six kilograms would be enough to “blow up the whole f—— . . . I don’t want to say.”
The Sting
Authorities say the pair didn’t just talk—they acted. The indictment details three specific transactions where Campo and Sensi helped launder $750,000 using cryptocurrency, real estate investments, and gift cards. They were allegedly preparing to wash another $12 million.
The trap snapped shut after the pair arranged a payment for 220 kilograms of cocaine, believing the deal would trigger a massive $5 million shipment from which they would take a cut.
Both men were arrested on Friday afternoon in New York.
‘No Excuse’
The charges land in a particularly tense political climate. Upon taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization, placing them in the same category as groups like ISIS.
Current DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole did not mince words regarding his predecessor’s alleged actions.
“The alleged conduct occurred after he left DEA and was unrelated to his official duties here, but any former agent who chooses to engage in criminal activity dishonors the men and women who serve with integrity,” Cole said. “We will not look the other way simply because someone once wore this badge.”
Campo, of Oakton, Virginia, and Sensi now face mandatory minimum sentences of 20 years if convicted on the narcoterrorism charges alone, with the potential for life in prison.
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