Man whose led officials to $20M in box spring pleads guilty

BOSTON – A Brazilian man whose arrest resulted in the discovery of $20 million in cash hidden inside a box spring in Massachusetts has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.

The U.S. attorney’s office for Massachusetts says Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha pleaded guilty in Boston’s federal courthouse Thursday. Rocha is set to be sentenced in December.

Prosecutors say Rocha was part of a scheme to transfer millions of dollars to Brazil by laundering the cash through Hong Kong. The money was from TelexFree, a defunct internet phone company authorities say was a massive pyramid scheme.

Rocha was arrested in January after agents followed him to an apartment in Westborough. Authorities searched the apartment and seized about $20 million in cash hidden in a box spring.

Rocha’s attorney has declined to comment.