Yahya ‘Cash’ Sowe, Money Laundering, Maryland 2024

Baltimore, Maryland – In a stunning turn of events, Yahya ‘Cash’ Sowe, 42, of Silver Spring, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in a large money laundering scheme involving over $11 million in fraud proceeds.

According to court documents, Sowe, along with co-defendant Victor Killen, 32, of Hyattsville, Maryland, conspired to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to supervise and manage the money laundering conspiracy.

The victims of the wire-fraud schemes included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others.

Sowe admitted to personally obtaining at least $1 million for participating in the conspiracy and helping facilitate more than $11 million of money laundering, involving more than 12 different victim entities. Killen admitted that at least $3 million in money laundering occurred pursuant to his direct participation in the conspiracy.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland charged 14 defendants in connection with Sowe’s and Killen’s money laundering conspiracy. Thirteen have now pled guilty, with Faizou Gnora, 28, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remaining a fugitive from justice.

Sowe and Killen are facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox scheduled sentencing for Sowe and Killen for Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 2 p.m. and Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., respectively.

In connection with this prosecution, Gedeon Agbeyome, 31, of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Areal El-Lovieta Harris, 24, of Hanover, Maryland, previously pled guilty, admitting to conspiring to commit money laundering.

The investigation into Sowe’s and Killen’s money laundering scheme was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

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