Missouri – An indictment released Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, revealed allegations against nine people connected to a complex multi-state money laundering network, in what appears to be a a major crackdown on financial crime. The defendants are believed to have planned a plot involving millions of dollars obtained via online frauds including business email compromise scams. The operation, detailed by federal authorities, involved coordinated arrests across three jurisdictions.
The suspects, identified as Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, of Houston, Texas; Misha L. Cooper, 50, and Robert A. Cooper, 66, both of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Carlesha L. Perry, 36, and Lauren O. Guidry, 32, both of Houston; Whitney D. Bardley, 30, of Florissant, Missouri; Caira Y. Osby, 44, of Houston; Dazai S. Harris, 34, and Edward D. Peebles, 35, both of Murfreesboro, face charges of conspiring to engage in money laundering. Each could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The indictment claims that this money laundering scheme has been active since November 2016 and has covered Tennessee, Texas, and other areas of the country. Allegedly, the network moved the illegal money via a sophisticated system including “herders” coordinating “money mules”. These money came from several online-based frauds aiming at naive companies and people both domestically and internationally.
The indictment also claims that the defendants used front businesses as a cover to hide the source of the pilfers, therefore rerouting these illegal profits back into their network and so benefiting themselves. The conspiracy is accused of attempting to launder over $20 million in fraud proceeds.
Along with Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey from the Middle District of Tennessee, prosecution assigned to the case include Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami from the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division. The legal proceedings will focus on the complex web of transactions designed to obscure the origins of the stolen funds.
An indictment is only an accusation; it is not a proof of guilt. Until shown guilty in a court of law, all of the defendants in this case are deemed innocent. This case emphasizes the continuous difficulties and complexity in addressing major financial crimes that take advantage of the linked character of world economy and digital communication channels.
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As the legal process unfolds, it will serve as a significant test of the ability of U.S. law enforcement to combat and deter such sophisticated schemes.
