An unsealed indictment in Nashville, Tennessee, has brought charges against nine individuals involved in a money laundering scheme that spanned multiple states and years. According to details released by the Department of Justice, the organization is accused of laundering over $20 million obtained through internet fraud, particularly targeting businesses through email compromise tactics. The accused include Samson A. Omoniyi, Misha L. Cooper, Robert A. Cooper, Carlesha L. Perry, Whitney D. Bardley, Lauren O. Guidry, Caira Y. Osby, Dazai S. Harris, and Edward D. Peebles, whose alleged roles varied within the structured money laundering organization.
The indictment alleges that since about November 2016, this organization with tentacles reaching from Tennessee to Texas, and beyond, systematically utilized "herders" to recruit "money mules". The individuals, referred to as "mules," were instructed to move and conceal the illicit proceeds through a network of fraudulent and front companies. In a statement from the Department of Justice, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri noted the extensive scope of the conspiracy, both geographically and in terms of the amount of money involved. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, with sentencing to be determined by a federal judge, taking into account U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Instrumental to bringing these charges was coordinated efforts by various branches of the FBI, including the Nashville and Salt Lake City Field Offices, and the Boise Resident Agency. According to authorities, the FBI’s Forensic Accountant Support Team also provided crucial aid in unraveling the complex financial transactions central to the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami from the Criminal Division's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey for the Middle District of Tennessee, are leading the prosecution. As the case progresses, it is important to note that an indictment is not an indication of guilt; it is a formal accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
