US police discover US$20m in cash hidden under mattress

US$20 million in cash was found under a mattress in a Manhattan apartment. Photo / US Attorney

Here is someone who took hiding money under the mattress to the extreme after police in the United States found US$20 million ($28m) in cash at an apartment.

The huge pile of banknotes were uncovered inside a wooden bed frame, the US Attorney's Office in Massachusetts said, sharing a photo of the cash seizure on Twitter.

Photo of $20M seized in box spring following arrest of Brazilian national in scheme to launder proceeds of TelexFree https://t.co/ulmFXtI9mr pic.twitter.com/0MTHxjaVZL

— U.S. Attorney MA (@DMAnews1) January 23, 2017

A Brazilian man has been arrested in connection with conspiring to launder proceeds from an alleged pyramid scheme, prosecutors say.

Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha, 28, has been charged with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering following the seizure earlier this month.

Prosecutors say Rocha was part of a scheme to transfer millions of dollars to Brazil by laundering the cash through Hong Kong, AP reports.

It is alleged Rocha was handed a suitcase containing US$2.2 million at a restaurant before agents followed him to the address and later arrested him.

The money was allegedly from TelexFree, a defunct internet phone company authorities say was a massive pyramid scheme.

The Boston Herald reports that Rocha's lawyer argued that his client had no criminal record and should be granted bail with GPS monitoring.

- Originally published in Telegraph UK