COLUMBUS, OH – A Columbus man is facing serious federal charges after allegedly washing over $1 million in dirty money funneled through a brazen business email compromise scheme. Benjamin O. Alexander, 42, was arrested Tuesday and now stands accused of laundering the proceeds of a fraud that exploited the desperate need for personal protective equipment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A federal grand jury slapped Alexander with a staggering 29 counts of money laundering crimes. The indictment details a scheme centered around a contract for PPE intended for a healthcare provider. In June 2020, malicious actors compromised email accounts and directed legitimate payments to a fraudulent bank account – one allegedly controlled by Alexander.
According to investigators, Alexander established a shell company, BOA Building Maintenance and Cleaning Services LLC, in April 2019, seemingly as a vehicle for this illicit activity. The healthcare provider, believing they were paying their contracted safety-equipment supplier, instead wired approximately $1.1 million into Alexander’s account. Four Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers comprised the total fraudulent sum.
But Alexander didn’t just sit on the money. The indictment alleges a deliberate and complex series of financial transactions designed to obscure the origin of the funds – a classic hallmark of money laundering. Federal agents with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) painstakingly traced the funds, ultimately leading back to Alexander and his alleged scheme.
“Conspiring to commit money laundering and committing concealment money laundering are both crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison,” stated Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Monetary transaction money laundering carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.” Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI, joined in the announcement of the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is prosecuting the case.
It’s crucial to remember that an indictment represents allegations, and Alexander is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, the sheer scale of the alleged fraud – and the timing amidst a global health crisis – paints a grim picture. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds and report on any developments.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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