Federal agents have laid hands on Benjamin O. Alexander, a 42-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, charging him with a staggering $1 million in money laundering from a business email scam.
According to the grim indictment, Alexander is accused of siphoning off funds intended for a contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scam involved fraudulent emails purporting to be from a safety-equipment supplier, duping health-care providers into sending payments to an account under his control.
BOA Building Maintenance and Cleaning Services LLC, established by Alexander in 2019, served as the conduit for these ill-gotten gains. Four ACH transfers, totaling approximately $1.1 million, were funneled into this scheme.
Alexander is said to have executed a series of financial transactions designed to shroud the true origin of the money, a move that landed him 29 counts of money laundering crimes.
The charges carry severe penalties: conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment of money laundering both have potential prison sentences of up to 20 years. Monetary transaction money laundering could see Alexander spending up to 10 years behind bars.
Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris and Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS-CI announced the charges, with Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate representing the U.S. in this case. The grimy details of Alexander’s alleged crimes are a stark reminder of the cybercriminal threat in today’s world.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and Benjamin O. Alexander is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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