Cowboy Cartel

Has anyone else watched this on Apple TV?
I heard about it when it first came out, but I resisted another subscription service until hubs and I were home over the holidays and couldn’t find anything to watch.

The whole premise of the cartel laundering money through horses is not surprising (a ton of rumors that many cartels still do in various disciplines… but rumors of course), but it is crazy some of the things that happened in the story and how brash they got!

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There is a rumor that this is happening in this area. Many medium to large boarding facilities are being sold to otherwise unassuming latin folks in cash. The last 4 large boarding stables that I am aware of being sold, this is exactly what happened. Each sold for roughly 1 million to 1.8 million. That’s a lot of cash!

Of course, it is obviously possible that it is not true and the money is from another more legit source. But it does make you pause.

Horses and boarding barns would be a genius way to launder money, honestly. The money goes poof and you can spend a lot on what looks like a little.

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:laughing: :sweat_smile: :rofl:

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actual event

the government seized 455 horses and will seek a judgment in an upcoming civil trial that will include forfeitures of cash, U.S real estate, and three jets that could total more than $70 million.

Equine Crime
A Horse Farm of a Different Color
https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/equine-crime-a-horse-farm-of-a-different-color

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Yes the events that happened in Cowboy Cartel are very real. It is a documentary.

I just mean there are rumors of similar things still happening (two reiners & an amateur HJ that I can think off the top of my head). As @endlessclimb said, horses and horse boarding barns are a pretty genius way to launder money, so it could definitely be possible!

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In one of the areas I used to live there was a nice cattle ranch raising registered stock that was rumored to be a money laundering operation. However, I think it could also have been a tax write-off. :woman_shrugging:

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There are a few good books on this story, which I had read before watching this, which made it even more interesting. One is called “Bones” by Joe Tone for anyone interested.

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I haven’t watched the show on Apple TV but this was definitely happening where I lived in TX. Not sure if that’s the same case the show is about.

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2013/05/09/federal-jury-austin-convicts-four-multi-million-dollar-money-laundering

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Yes! It’s the same case.
Definitely a good watch if you’ve got Apple TV!

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