Auburn man pleads not guilty to federal fraud and money laundering charges
Cesar Campos-Reyes, 52, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Auburn, made his initial appearance in federal court Friday following his arrest earlier this week on multiple fraud and money laundering charges, according to Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.
Campos-Reyes was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15 on four counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. The charges stem from an alleged scheme involving fraud against federal programs.
As part of the investigation, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies executed search warrants Tuesday at 14 locations tied to Campos-Reyes across six Alabama counties: Autauga, Baldwin, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lee, and Macon. Eight of the searched properties were restaurants, authorities said.
During Friday’s court hearing, Campos-Reyes pleaded not guilty to all charges. A federal magistrate judge scheduled his trial for November 3, 2025. A detention hearing is set for July 23 to determine whether Campos-Reyes will remain in custody ahead of trial. He is currently being held by the U.S. Marshals Service.
If convicted on all counts, Campos-Reyes faces up to 30 years in federal prison and significant financial penalties. Federal law does not allow for parole.
In connection with Tuesday’s enforcement actions, three additional individuals, Luis Miguel Campos-Reyes, Isaac Fernandez-Lopez, and Marco Antonio Guzman, all Mexican nationals, were also arrested. Luis Campos-Reyes and Fernandez-Lopez were charged with harboring and unlawfully employing aliens, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Guzman was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a felony that carries up to 20 years in prison.
All three men are scheduled to make their initial court appearances Friday afternoon.
The investigation is ongoing.
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