An indictment released Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, contained allegations against nine people connected to a complex multistate money laundering network, indicating a significant crackdown on financial crime. Investigators believe the defendants devised a scheme that collected millions of dollars through online fraud, including business email breach scams. The operation, as described by federal investigators, featured coordinated arrests in three jurisdictions.
The suspects are 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. If convicted, each could face a maximum sentence of 20 years.
According to the indictment, this money laundering conspiracy has been operating since November 2016 and has spread throughout Tennessee, Texas, and other parts of the country. The network allegedly transported the illegal money using a sophisticated system involving “herders” who coordinated “money mules.” A series of web scams targeting unsuspecting businesses and individuals both domestically and overseas obtained these funds.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants used front businesses to conceal the source of the thefts, rerouting these illegal revenues back into their network and therefore enriching themselves. The indictment accuses the conspirators of trying to launder over $20 million in fraudulent proceeds.
Along with Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey from the Middle District of Tennessee, the prosecution assigned to the case includes Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami from the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Sections. The court processes will center on the intricate web of transactions used to conceal the source of the stolen monies.
An indictment is merely an accusation, not proof of guilt. The court presumes the defendants in this case innocent unless proven guilty. This case highlights the ongoing difficulties and complexities in combating large financial crimes that take advantage of the interconnected nature of the global economy and internet communication channels.
As the judicial process progresses, it will be a critical test of US law enforcement’s abilities to confront and discourage such complex scams.