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Money Mule Charged with Laundering Over $1 Million in Idaho
BOISE, IDAHO – A former Idaho resident has been charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Andrew Samargis, 69, allegedly laundered over $1 million in funds from various wire and bank fraud schemes.
The indictment alleges that from approximately October 2017 through July 2020, Samargis conspired with others to operate as a money mule. He received at least $1 million of financial fraud proceeds into accounts that he controlled and then conducted financial transactions with the proceeds to disguise the nature and source of the funds.
The wire fraud and bank fraud schemes included credit card fraud, counterfeit check-cashing fraud, and COVID-19 funding fraud. A money mule is a person who transfers illegally acquired money on behalf of other individuals and typically receives compensation for providing their services.
Despite banks repeatedly closing his accounts due to fraud, Samargis continued to serve as a money mule for the fraud schemes. He transmitted the proceeds of the fraud schemes to coconspirators through cash withdrawals, cashier’s checks, and wire transfers, at times disguising the purpose of the transfer by providing false descriptions to the banks.
Samargis is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. If convicted of the most serious crime, Samargis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit credited the investigation by the United States Secret Service, Spokane Resident Office, together with the assistance from the United States Secret Service Tucson and Las Vegas Offices, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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