Several Myrtle Beach business owners appeared in a California federal court Monday on charges of racketeering, money laundering and drug related charges.

The 7 men — four from the Grand Strand — were arrested on Thursday in an “elaborate money laundering scheme,” officials said.

Mike Rose (owner of Rodeo Bar and Grill and the Gold Club in Myrtle Beach), Vladimir Handl (owner of Heat Ultra Lounge in Myrtle Beach), Peter Scalise (part owner of Zest in Georgetown), and David Gaither (an-ex myrtle Beach Police Officer) all pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday, said Abraham Simmons with the United States Department .

Paul Fink, one of the seven indicted outside of our area, also pleaded not guilty.

A fired SC Highway Patrolman, L/Cpl. J.d. McGaha, who was terminated March 18, is being investigated for a possible role in the sting, according to his attorney. However, McGaha has not been charged.

“According to the indictment, Handl and Rose, along with their associates Scalise and Gaither, conspired to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering involving money laundering, bank fraud and drug trafficking,” officials stated in an official press release.

Officials allege the men knowingly accepted more than $2.3 million they believed either had been fraudulently diverted from a bankruptcy court proceeding or constituted proceeds from drug trafficking, and then laundered the money through their businesses. Officials allege the actions occurred between 2011 and 2015, and involved Rose’s Gold Clubs.A May 14th Magistrate court date has been set in the Northern District of California in front of Judge Corley for a status hearing for all five men, Simmons told WBTW.

Simmons says Edwin Hetherton, another one of the seven indicted outside of South Carolina, is still looking for an attorney.

Simmons tells News 13 Hetherton will have a different magistrate court date set on April 6th in front of Judge Laporte.

All six men are currently out on bond, according to Simmons. However, what if any restrictions have been placed on their bond at this point is unknown, he added.

Simmons says Richard Leyland, who was taken into custody near Fort Washington Pennsylvania, is the only one who is not out on bond.

Simmons says Leyland did not appear in court Monday and is still en route to California.