CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two men have been charged with laundering over $4.5 million in proceeds of business email compromise schemes and online romance scams targeting elderly victims, as part of the Justice Department’s annual Money Mule Initiative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina joined the Justice Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other federal law enforcement agencies to announce the completion of the initiative, aimed at identifying, disrupting, and criminally prosecuting networks of individuals who transmit funds from fraud victims to international fraudsters.
“Criminals perpetrating lucrative financial schemes that defraud unsuspecting American businesses and individual consumers are serious threats to our economic security and stability,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Through our collaboration with our law enforcement counterparts, we aim to identify and dismantle money mule networks and bring perpetrators to justice.
As part of this year’s initiative, law enforcement took action to stop over 3,000 money mules responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes, with more than 20 individuals criminally charged for knowingly receiving and forwarding victim funds or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.
According to the charges, the two men, 32-year-old Michael Davis of Charlotte, N.C., and 29-year-old James Wilson of Raleigh, N.C., opened bank accounts to receive wires and other transfers of funds from fraud victims, then withdrew and transferred the fraud proceeds, including transfers into overseas accounts, and kept a portion of the proceeds for themselves.
“The Justice Department is committed to using every tool at our disposal to protect Americans from fraud,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “By working with our federal partners to disrupt money mule networks, educate consumers about scams, and prosecute criminals, we can keep money out of the hands of international fraudsters and in the pockets of hard-working Americans.
Additional cases charged include: five defendants in New Jersey for allegedly acting as couriers who went to the homes of elderly victims of a grandparent scam to pick up cash, and three men in Missouri for their roles in collecting and transmitting funds from victims of a nationwide tech support fraud scam targeting the elderly.
Related Federal Cases
- Money Mule Masters Busted in $12M Scam · North Carolina
- ‘Jay’ and Crew Hit with Gun Trafficking, Narcotics Charges · North Carolina
- Amgen Pays $71M for Pushing Drugs Off-Label · Washington
- Amgen Inc. $71M Settlement · Washington
- Western Union Scam · Washington
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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