The DEA is investigating Sino-Mexican businessman Zhenli Ye Gon for possible money laundering through the U.S. financial system, reports La Jornada (Mexico City).

The man reported lost $125 million in Las Vegas casinos over the years.

$125 million.

This could turn out to be a whale of a money-laundering tale, whatever else it is. The Mexican press mainly wants to know why the hell the gringos have all that money seized by Mexican police and prosecutors.

I translate.

"The U.S. antinarcotics agency (DEA) is tracing the money of Zhenli Ye Gon to determine whether the businessman laundered money through the U.S. financial system."

"According to documents from the Mexican federal attorney in the possession of this newspaper, the regional director of the DEA, stationed at the U.S. embassy in Mexico, David Gaddyss, notified the organized crime bureau of the Mexican federal attorney's office, SIEDO, that it is working with U.S. authorities to probe banking transactions and account in the name of Zhenli Ye Gon, who over several years has lost more than $125 million in Las Vegas casinos."

Do you think they comp this guy the William Bennett memorial penthouse or what?

"Officials of the federal judiciary we spoke to say they believe that if the U.S. government finds grounds to indict Ye Gon in a U.S. court over alleged money-laundering, there is a possibility that a good part of the $204 million dollars deposited in the Bank of America by the Mexican government could be frozen."

Ye Gon recently told an interviewer -- the video was published by the Milenio newspaper -- that Calderon's Labor secretary, a PRI adherent to Calderon's campaign, threatened him in order to get him to store vast amounts of cash -- federal agents seized around $250 million on March 17 at his home -- on behalf of the PAN political party.

I have seen this interview. He says that a guy named Javier Alarcón came by and said, in effect, "Now that you are a Mexican citizen, it is time to do something for your country. You are going to hold this cash, which is for the PAN campaign. Or else. It's cooperate or [throat-cutting gesture], because now you know all our secrets.] And you are going to need political cover for your business."