Four American Airlines cabin crew members have been charged with money laundering after US Customs and Border Patrol discovered they had collectively brought $22,000 of undeclared cash into the country from Chile.

Carlos Alberto Munoz-Moyano, Maria Isabel Wilson-Ossandon, Maria Beatriz Pasten-Cuzmar and Miaria Delpilar Roman-Strick were detained Monday after they arrived at Miami International Airport.

CBP claimed the group admitted Pasten-Cuzmar had conspired to bring $22,671 to a 'known person' and would be give one per cent of the money they individually carried.

Four American Airlines cabin crew members have been charged with money laundering after US Customs and Border Patrol discovered that they had collectively brought over $22,000 of undeclared cash into the country from Chile on Monday

Carlos Alberto Munoz-Moyano (right) was found to have $9,000 on him after they arrived at Miami International Airport. He told CBP during a routine search he had $100. Defendants claim Maria Beatriz Pasten-Cuzmar (right) masterminded the plan to bring the cash

Munoz-Moyano, 40, alerted Customs officers when during a routine check he said he had $100 on him but later changed the figure to $9,000, Miami Herald reported.

CBP officers then stopped colleagues Miaria Delpilar Roman-Strick, 55, who was found to have $7,300 and Maria Isabel Wilson-Ossandon, 48, who had $6,371.

Maria Beatriz Pasten-Cuzmar was located in the Customs area of the airport but a report did not say whether she had any money on her.

Law enforcement said the defendants claimed Pasten-Cuzmar masterminded the plan.

Maria Isabel Wilson-Ossandon (left), 48, carried $6,371 and Miaria Delpilar Roman-Strick (right), 55, carried $7,300

It's unclear whether other AA staff were searched and questioned in connection to the incident.

Following interviews with Homeland Security, the AA staff were arrested and charged with money laundering and unauthorized money transmitting between $300 and $20,000.

Individuals can carry below the amount of $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments into the United States undeclared.

None of the airline staff were licensed to transport the large amount of money.

American Airlines told DailyMail.com that the four team members are Chilean nationals.

'We take this matter seriously and are cooperating with law enforcement throughout their investigation,' AA told DailyMail.com in a statement Wednesday.