TYLER, TX – Another cog in a ruthless, transnational fraud scheme has fallen. Perry Lewis Crenshaw Jr., 27, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering this week in the Eastern District of Texas, adding to a growing list of convictions in a case that ripped off vulnerable citizens. Crenshaw is the fifth defendant to admit their role in the operation, which authorities say involved a network of call centers preying on unsuspecting victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei was blunt: “Moving money on behalf of scammers helps facilitate the underlying criminal fraud, and ultimately contributes to the victimization of the public.” Ganjei emphasized that investigators aren’t just targeting the primary fraudsters, but also those who enable their crimes. “Those that help launder the ill-gotten gains of these fraud schemes are subject to significant criminal penalties,” he stated.
The scheme, which dates back to 2015, involved Crenshaw being recruited to collect cash from sales generated by the call centers. He picked up approximately $40,000 in initial hauls, depositing it into a designated bank account. Soon after, in June 2015, Crenshaw established “Network Florida LLC,” a shell company used to further launder the fraudulent funds. He then recruited 20-25 individuals whose sole job was to pick up cash and money orders, depositing them into the Network Florida accounts, all for a 10% cut.
Between June 2015 and October 2016, a staggering $1,284,649 in fraudulent proceeds flowed through Network Florida’s bank accounts. But the scheme didn’t stop there. From February 2016 to July 2016, Crenshaw transferred approximately $266,106 to a foreign bank account, obscuring the source of the money and further complicating the investigation. Crenshaw later admitted he knew the operation was fraudulent and intended to conceal the illicit profits.
Federal investigators from multiple agencies – the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development – collaborated on the case. “Mr. Crenshaw preyed on vulnerable elderly Americans by impersonating the IRS,” said IRS Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “We found him, and now he and his co-conspirators will be held accountable for their heinous crimes.” TIGTA’s J. Russell George added that his agency “aggressively investigates allegations of individuals who misrepresent themselves as Internal Revenue Service employees to cheat taxpayers.”
Crenshaw isn’t alone. Codefendants Jeremy Christopher Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in June, and Ronnie Duane Booth, Mary Elizabeth Beaman Booth, and Tracey Brookshier all admitted to aiding and abetting an unlicensed money transmitting business in August. Details of Crenshaw’s sentencing will be revealed at a later date, but authorities promise further prosecutions are likely as they continue to unravel the full scope of this elaborate fraud. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.
Related Federal Cases
- Juan A. Tony Marrero, Medicare Fraud Scheme, Miami FL, 2023 · Mississippi
- Christopher Gregory Wayne, Medicare Fraud Scheme, Miami FL, 2023 · Texas
- Patricia Lynn Smith, Bank Fraud Scheme, FL 2024 · Texas
- Obinna Obioha, Hacking and Wire Fraud Scheme, NY 2024 · Texas
- Michell Garcia, Wire Fraud Scheme, TX 2024 · West Virginia
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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