GREENVILLE, S.C. – In a twisted game of cat and mouse, Javarius G. Teague, a 31-year-old Greenville resident, has been brought to justice for his role in laundering funds extorted from US service members through compromising photos.
A 33-month prison sentence was handed down to Teague in a federal court, along with a $2,210 restitution order. The US Department of Justice’s investigation revealed that Teague, while incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, orchestrated a conspiracy to conceal the source of the extorted funds.
The extortion scheme targeted US service members who were lured into sending compromising photos of themselves to women they met on dating sites. The scam then escalated, with an extortioner claiming to be the woman’s father and threatening to report the service member to law enforcement or military authorities unless they paid up. Money Gram and similar services were used to facilitate the payments, which were then collected by Teague’s co-conspirators.
Teague’s conspiracy ultimately unraveled in December 2017, when one service member took his own life rather than pay the demanded money. The case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Assistant US Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.
Teague’s role in the scheme involved using Green Dot and J Pay to pass on the extorted funds to other members of the conspiracy. The investigation revealed that Teague was the mastermind behind the operation, orchestrating the laundering of funds from the US service members.
Teague’s 33-month sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of perpetuating such heinous crimes. As the case comes to a close, the victims and their families can finally find some sense of justice. The US Department of Justice will continue to crack down on similar schemes, protecting the nation’s service members from predators like Javarius Teague.
Teague’s conviction serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit and extort the vulnerable. The US Department of Justice will not tolerate such behavior, and those who engage in it will face the full weight of the law.
Related Federal Cases
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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