In a scheme that hit pockets from Houston to Seoul, 31-year-old Baudelaire Tchouala has admitted to orchestrating a near-million-dollar money laundering plot. Attorney's Office in Houston revealed. According to justice department reports, Tchouala pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, using a business account to mask his shady dealings.
During a five-month burst of criminal creativity, the young Houstonian laundered a massive sum through various financial institutions and convinced unsuspicious victims to send payments, believing they were dealing with reputable companies. In one instance, a victim wired $64,000 on July 23, 2018, for a fake real estate transaction. Following the deceitful email instructions, the victim was under the impression that the transfer was for the purchase of a house.
Echoing a ploy straight out of a crime novel, another victim sent a hefty $198,955 on October 29, 2018—the down payment for a condominium—with the receiving account opened barely over two weeks prior. A number of companies also fell for Tchouala's trickery, including one that was duped into sending approximately $645,711 to the fraudster's account after receiving a bogus email.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the victims, scattered across the United States, South Korea, and Japan, collectively saw approximately $935,000 vanish into Tchouala’s pockets, who withdrew most through cash, checks, and transfers. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett set the wheels of justice in motion and scheduled the sentencing for March 7, 2024, where Tchouala faces a lengthy stint in federal prison and a hefty fine up to $500,000.
With the Federal Bureau of Investigation peeling back the layers of this elaborate scam, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Shirin Hakimzadeh are leading the charge in the prosecutorial efforts against Tchouala. While waiting for his day in court, the admitted launderer remains on bond, perhaps mulling over his ill-gotten gains and the price of deception.
