Defense attorneys tried poking holes in the motivations of two convicted criminals who testified in federal court on Tuesday in the money-laundering trial of three Twin Cities brothers, saying the witnesses stand to gain from the brothers' downfall.

The witnesses, John Nguyen and Jermaine Richardson, made deals with officials to testify against brothers Antwoyn, Derrick and Frederick Spencer in exchange for possibly lighter sentences.

The attorneys also pointed to apparent inconsistencies in Nguyen's and Richardson's conversations with authorities about the defendants' alleged involvement in selling cocaine and using the profits to open Harold's Chicken Shack in north Minneapolis.

Nguyen, 30, said Antwoyn Spencer asked if he wanted to deliver cocaine to the Twin Cities. Nguyen testified that he made four trips from Texas to the Twin Cities in 2006 to sell cocaine to Antwoyn Spencer, whom he knew as "Twig."

Nguyen was arrested in Kansas on a fifth drug run in August 2006, testifying that the 8 kilograms of cocaine was for Antwoyn Spencer.

Under questioning by Jeff Paulsen, chief criminal attorney in the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota, Nguyen identified a picture of Antwoyn Spencer's house and two phone numbers belonging to him. Nguyen received a phone call from one of those numbers after he had been arrested, evidence shows.

Blind in one eye, Nguyen first identified Derrick Spencer in court as "Twig" before correcting himself and pointing to Antwoyn Spencer, who was sitting at the same table.

Nguyen faces a minimum of 10 years in prison unless a judge decides that his testimony against the Spencers merits a shorter sentence.

Richardson, 25, testified that he started selling crack cocaine he obtained from Antwoyn Spencer in 1998. He said he often paid Antwoyn Spencer for drugs at the Chicken Shack and that Derrick Spencer, 25, has sold cocaine.

Richardson said Antwoyn Spencer told him they used drug profits to open the takeout shop, which was under Frederick Spencer's name because of his good credit rating and college education. Frederick Spencer, 29, didn't see the money being exchanged, Richardson said.

Defense attorneys pointed out that Richardson initially identified a man nicknamed "Tiger" as his cocaine supplier before fingering the Spencers.

"You knew that the more you came up with, the better you'll do [with your sentencing], right?" asked James Sheehy, who represents Derrick Spencer.

"I don't have to come up with anything," replied Richardson, who pleaded guilty to drug-related charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391

Chao Xiong • cxiong@startribune.com