Sunna Sepetu, Money Laundering Conspiracy, New Hampshire 2022

CONCORD – A group of four individuals, including Sunna Sepetu, 35, of Nashua, Nafis Quaye, 45, most recently of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Stella Osabutey, 36, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Samuel Ansah, 31, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, were indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.

Ansah was also charged with five counts of wire fraud in the indictment.

Quaye and Sepetu were arraigned on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, and were released on personal recognizance. Osabutey waived arraignment and Ansah remains at large. Anyone with information about Ansah’s whereabouts is asked to contact their nearest Homeland Security Investigations field office or U.S. Embassy or consulate.

The indictment, which was unsealed on May 25, 2002, alleges that Ansah, and other unknown individuals, assumed false identities which were then used to establish relationships online with two victims. Through deceptive and false pretenses over many years, Ansah directed the victims to transfer large sums of United States currency to companies controlled by the other defendants who then conducted additional financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds.

The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is part of the Elder Justice Initiative, which supports and coordinates the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps.

The indictment alleges that Ansah and other unknown individuals assumed false identities to establish relationships online with two victims, directing them to transfer large sums of United States currency to companies controlled by the other defendants.

The victims in this case were victims of elder fraud, and the indictment alleges that the defendants conducted financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds.

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