Nigerian and Eight Others Charged in the US for Multi-State Money Laundering Scheme

Nine individuals, including a Nigerian national, are facing charges for allegedly operating a multi-state money laundering network that processed $20 million from internet fraud.

This was revealed in a statement by the US Department of Justice on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

“An indictment was unsealed yesterday in Nashville, Tennessee, charging nine members of a multi-state money laundering organization responsible for laundering millions of dollars derived from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes,” the statement read.

The nine defendants were arrested in a coordinated operation spanning three jurisdictions.

According to court documents, the following individuals were charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering: Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, of Houston; Misha L. Cooper, 50, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Robert A. Cooper, 66, of Murfreesboro; Carlesha L. Perry, 36, of Houston; Whitney D. Bardley, 30, of Florissant, Missouri; Lauren O. Guidry, 32, of Houston; Caira Y. Osby, 44, of Houston; Dazai S. Harris, 34, of Murfreesboro; and Edward D. Peebles, 35, of Murfreesboro.

As stated in the indictment, the defendants were part of a long-running money laundering operation that had been active since around November 2016, operating primarily in Tennessee, Texas, and other locations across the country.

The organization was allegedly structured with “recruiters” or “herders” who directed participants, known as “money mules,” to launder funds obtained through internet fraud schemes targeting both businesses and individuals, both in the United States and internationally.

The defendants are accused of using sham and front companies to conceal the proceeds of the fraud and to enrich the members of the conspiracy.

The indictment alleges that the group agreed to launder over $20 million in fraudulently obtained funds, with the conspiracy operating to hide the origins of the money and facilitate its movement across different entities.

The announcement was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee; and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division.

Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.

The FBI Nashville and Salt Lake City Field Offices, along with the Boise Resident Agency, are leading the investigation, with support from the FBI’s Forensic Accountant Support Team.

Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey, are prosecuting the case.