European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes wednesday november 27,1991 50 charged in big scheme to launder drug Money by the los Angeles times Washington a Federal authorities said monday that they had cracked an International Money laundering ring that moved $500 million in colombian cocaine Cartel Money through Banks in five . Cities. More than 35 people were arrested and 30 offices and Homes searched in los Angeles Atlanta new York Miami and Providence r.i., according to customs commissioner Carol Hallett. In All charges were lodged against 50 people by Federal grand juries in the five cities. The Headquarters of three precious metals firms and a Money Exchange in the downtown los Angeles jewelry District were raided and files there seized said Charlie j. Parsons the of big a special agent in charge in los Angeles. A this investigation continues to show that los Angeles has become the Center of drug Money laundering in the United states a Parsons said. He said the charges arise from an 18-month investigation that was launched on the basis of evidence developed in operation Polar Cap. That investigation of jewelry District Money laundering already has led to three major sets of indictments Ixos Angeles. Several defendants convicted in the first of those cases have received Long sentences and trials Are pending in the other cases. About $120 million in drug proceeds was laundered through the four los Angeles companies named in a criminal complaint monday court documents said. Hallett said two of the three major figures in the Case have been arrested. They Are Barry Slomovits owner of a precious metals company in new York and Stephen a. Saccoccia of Cranston r.i., who was arrested in Geneva with his wife Donna who also was charged. The third major figure Jose Duvan Arboleda Gonzalez was indicted in Atlanta and Miami and named an a indicted co conspirator in los Angeles but is now in Bogota Colombia and out of . Authorities reach Federal officials said. Arboleda used several precious metals businesses in Miami As a front to launder drug Money for both the Medellin and Cali cartels according to Federal officials. Fri agent John m. Clair in an affidavit filed in . District court in Washington said Arboleda and his brother Augusto Arboleda Gonzalez both native colombians had been involved in International drug trafficking and drug Money laundering since approximately 1975. Hallett said Saccoccia has direct links to organized crime. John Hensley assistant customs commissioner for enforcement identified Saccoccia As a an associated of the Raymond Patriarca crime family in Rhode Island and also said he was a a contract employee for the Len la Cosa Nostra a Hensley said the defendants used about 25 Banks a foreign and Domestic a in their sophisticated schemes. The foreign locations include Switzerland England Colombia and an unidentified Island nation in the Caribbean. No Bank officials were indicted monday however and Hallett said Banks had cooperated in the probe. The indictments describe elaborate schemes. The criminal complaint filed in los Angeles states that once Money reached los Angeles the suspects deposited Money in Bank accounts of the precious Metal companies. Then the Money was transferred by wire to Bank accounts used by the ring in Rhode Island South America Switzerland and elsewhere. To facilitate the movement of the laundered Money the suspects used cellular telephones digital display paging devices and code words attempting to thwart Law enforcement detection according to the complaint. Nonetheless numerous phone conversations were overheard and considerable visual surveillance of the defendants was conducted. Among the code words set up according to Hallett were a High Grade a used to mean $50 Ana $100 Bills a flow Grade for $10 and $20 Bills a a karate for $5 and $10 Bills and �?o200 Hundred ounces a meaning $200,000. David Izzi left and Raymond w. Marotto in Providence r.i., Are among 50 charged in the Case. The new York indictment said Saccoccia received Large Cash amounts at his new York business offices obtained fax machine instructions on How to handle the Money and then sent the funds to his out of town companies. Saccoccia a employees then would take the Money to Banks and convert it into checks payable to Saccoccia a various precious metals companies. Then there would be a Complex set of deposits and fund transfers culminating in the final wire transfers to Bank accounts in Colombia and  clock set Back by 7 minutes Chicago up1 the minute hand of the doomsday clock was pushed Back tuesday by seven minutes to 17 minutes before Midnight a the farthest it has Ever been set Back. The change by the bulletin of the atomic scientists Means the Chance of nuclear doomsday now is More Remote than at any other time since the end of world War ii. The hand has now been moved entirely off the face of the original 15-minute clock. The 20-member International Board which includes 18 Nobel laureates determines the setting of the doomsday clock. It has ticked Down As far As 11 58, the setting after the first successful . Hydrogen bomb test in 1953. A the cold War is Over a the bulletin said in the editorial in this months edition. A the 40-year-Long East West nuclear arms race has ended. The world has clearly entered a new Post cold War Era. A the illusion that tens of thousands of nuclear weapons Are a guarantor of National Security has been stripped  the bulletin announced the change at a news conference near the site of the first self sustaining nuclear Chain reaction at the University of Chicago. The bulletin was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and other concerned scientists who wanted to Alert the Public to the dangers of the nuclear arms race and the possibility of nuclear War. The latest change could not have been made on the original doomsday clock which showed Only the 15 minutes before Midnight. The clock was redesigned in 1989 to show a full clock and a picture of the Western hemisphere Europe and part of Africa to emphasize the need for an expanded View of global Security. The clock which symbolizes the trend toward or away from nuclear annihilation has been reset 14 times. It was set at seven minutes before Midnight the first time it appeared on the bulletin cover in 1947 and last was changed in 1990, when the hands were moved from six minutes to 10 minutes before Midnight to reflect the changes wrought by the democratic movements in Eastern Europe. Before this the farthest the hands had been from Midnight was 12 minutes where they were placed after the first strategic arms limitation talks agreement was signed in 1972. No previous change in either direction has been More than five minutes. The editor cautioned that even though president Bush and soviet Leader Mikhail s. Gorbachev a have guided their respective nations to a historic intersection of Mutual interests a thousands of nuclear weapons remain in . And soviet arsenals and numerous other nations either already have similar weapons or Are working to get them. A far deeper reductions in nuclear weapons stockpiles must follow a the editor  singing triggers caustic attack in Church Lexington by. A a choir nimber threw liquid Drain cleaner into the face of a fellow Singer during a Church service a causing serious Burns a because of off key singing at a rehearsal police said. Five other Church members were splashed by the chemical but were not seriously injured. Demetrius Moore 27, was in Good condition monday at the University of Kentucky Hospital where she was treated for Burns to her face neck and Chest police said. Naomi Parker 32, pleaded innocent monday to first degree assault and remained in jail in lieu of $7,500 bail. She faces a dec. 4 hearing. The attack took place sunday just As a service was beginning at the downtown East second Street Christian Church. Police said the fight stemmed from an argument about who was singing off key. Choir members were marching to the Sanctuary for the services opening hymn but Parker and Moore remained in the Vestibule arguing witnesses said. Parker pulled a bottle of Drain cleaner from her coat and splashed Moore police said. The caustic liquid burned through a carpet and scarred a wooden door. Witnesses said Parker ran out of the Church and police found her a Short time later As she was walking Home. Sununu s Job secure say Fitzwater first lady Washington a the embattled White House chief of staff John Sununu is not in jeopardy of losing his Job presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said monday. First lady Barbara Bush also gave Sununu a vote of Confidence. She denied reports suggesting she was unhappy with Sununu and wanted him replaced. A it Isnit True and its ugly and i done to like it a she said. A the knows it Isnit  the White House moved quickly monday to Shore up support for the combative staff chief. Fitzwater said Sununu was not in jeopardy of losing his Job despite recent criticism from within the presidents own party. A i done to think its Ever been in Dan Ger a Fitzwater said. Sununu has been the target of attacks recently from Many Republican officials for his heavy handed management style. Many prominent republicans have suggested that Bush should make major staff changes soon to regain control of the administrations Domestic Agenda in View of the slumping Economy and Bush a decline in opinion polls. There have been some reports that Bush May make such changes Over the Holiday weekend. Fitzwater said most of the grumbling about Sununu has come from other republicans who Are a jockeying for position before the 1992 presidential reelection Campaign begins in Earnest. Bush is expected to name his top Campaign officials Over the next few weeks