A shocking indictment has revealed that two Utah businessmen, James and Maxwell Jensen, are accused of partnering with the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) to traffic stolen fuel from Mexico into the United States.
According to investigators, the Jensen family, who own several oil companies, including Arroyo Terminals, LLC, Big Hog Energy, LLC, and Jentran, LLC, have been involved in the scheme since at least May 2022. The pair is accused of knowingly conspiring with CJNG to provide material support and resources, including U.S. money, to the cartel.
The Jensens are alleged to have laundered and profited from at least $300 million in funds, which they smuggled into the United States by falsifying shipment invoices. Authorities claim that the pair trafficked at least 2,881 shipments of crude oil distributed by Mexican criminal groups between May 2022 and March 2025.
The indictment states that the Jensens purchased crude oil from companies operated solely by Mexican criminal organizations, converting it into clean cash by selling it to industrial clients as if it came from legal sources. The funds generated were deposited in bank accounts at Wells Fargo and Bank of America, controlled by the Jensen companies, before being transferred to alleged Mexican suppliers.
The government has acted against the Jensens, seizing dozens of properties linked to illicit crude oil sales operations, freezing two bank accounts belonging to family businesses, and confiscating four marine tankers used to transport crude oil.
The Jensens are set to be arraigned on May 29 in the Southern District Court of Texas in Brownsville. Maxwell Jensen has also been charged with a new charge related to providing material support to CJNG, which could further delay his trial.
A tentative date of June 16 was initially set for jury selection, but it is expected to be delayed due to the additional charges against Maxwell Jensen.
Source: Milenio
