laundering

Published on: January 19, 2025

Man Accused of Stealing Police Officer’s IRS Refund Check

A Florida man was arrested after he was involved in a traffic accident and identified as the suspect involved in a case regarding a police officer’s stolen IRS refund check.

At the beginning of the summer, a police officer was awaiting the direct deposit of his IRS refund. He reported that it never showed up in his bank account, and he contacted the IRS about the situation. He was informed that they had mailed his refund instead of issuing it through direct deposit. The officer said he did not receive it, and they told him their records indicated it had already been cashed.

An investigation was opened, and the $20,694 check was traced to a local SoFi Bank. When the financial institution checked their records, they tracked down the check in an account that was opened in July 2023. They also reportedly discovered there were multiple transactions involving cashed United States Treasury checks that appeared to have been made out in the name of the account holder. They learned that money was taken out using ATMs, and several purchases of money orders were tracked to a few different Publix markets. The police checked the surveillance recordings from the stores, and they believed the suspect was a 34-year-old man from Coral Springs. An arrest warrant was activated.

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Published on: October 9, 2024

Mother and Son Busted for Operating VIP Escort Service

by Staycie R. Sena

A mother and son in South Florida allegedly ran a large-scale escort business for over two decades while laundering the money through what appeared to be a legitimate real estate operation.

The escort service, which was officially registered with the state, operated openly under the name “Pretty Woman Escorts.” According to authorities, the business employed staff, including a receptionist and drivers who would transport the escorts to meet clients at homes, hotels, or apartments. The business also had a website displaying profiles of escorts for potential clients.

The investigation into the operation included the use of undercover officers, confidential informants, GPS tracking, and hidden cameras. In one instance, a detective allegedly observed a prostitute and a client having sex through a window. They also reported that they found ledgers documenting the financial transactions of the escort service in the trash.

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Published on: December 26, 2022

Workers Busted During Raid of “Shroom House” Store

by Staycie R. Sena

A group of people in Portland are facing charges after the police learned they were allegedly operating a business called Shroom House where they sold magic mushrooms.

According to reports, a store in Portland, Oregon called Shroom House opened its doors to the public on October 24. The shop reportedly sold magic mushrooms to the public.

When the authorities learned about the establishment, they reportedly had two undercover agents visit and purchase just over an ounce of mushrooms. The fungi allegedly tested positive for psilocybin.

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Published on: November 20, 2022

Prime Suspects Arrested for $9M Meat Theft Ring

by Staycie R. Sena

Three Florida men from Miami were arrested for allegedly stealing millions of dollars worth of meat from packaging plants in a heist that spanned through several Midwestern states.

According to reports, in June 2021, many trailers full of frozen meats were stolen in Lancaster County, Nebraska. The reported total loss from the missing products was assessed at $1 M.

While investigating the situation, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office worked with Homeland Security Investigation, and they discovered that 45 additional pricey meat thefts happened in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

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Published on: October 4, 2021

2 Narcotics Officers May Face Life Sentences for Drug Distribution

by Staycie R. Sena

Two Ohio officers are facing charges with heavy penalties after being accused of attempting to distribute several kilos of fentanyl and cocaine.

33-year-old John Kotchkoski and 44-year-old Marco Merino were both narcotics officers in Columbus, Ohio.

The federal authorities suspected that the pair were working together to make money off of large drug sales, and they decided to open an investigation.

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Published on: June 15, 2018

“Affluenza” Teen’s Mom Back in Custody for Positive Drug Test

by Staycie R. Sena

The mother of the teenager who became notorious when he was excused from jail time on DUI charges based on the defense that he suffers from affluenza has been incarcerated on allegations that she violated the conditions of her bond release when she allegedly yielded a positive result on a court-ordered drug test.

Ethan Couch, a teenager who had been drinking and driving in 2013 resulting in four fatalities, was pardoned from serving a 20-year prison sentence and instead sentenced to rehab and 10-years’ probation for the charges, when his attorney explained that Couch did not realize he was acting irresponsibly due to a wealthy upbringing resulting in his psychological disconnection from the norms of the status quo; a condition also known as “affluence.”

In December 2015, after his trial, a man who resembles Ethan Couch was seen in a short video clip posted on social media where he appeared to be consuming alcohol. This was in violation of Couch’s parole order that he not partake in drinking, driving or drug use for 10-years.

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Published on: January 2, 2018

Louisiana Elderly Man Accused of Fraud in Nigerian Prince Email Scam

by Staycie R. Sena

A 67-year-old man is facing hundreds of counts of wire fraud and money laundering for alleged participation as what police call a “middle man” in a common type of email scam dubbed “Nigerian prince.”

These shams, so named for many of them originating in Nigeria though they happen all over the world, typically connive people out of personal information such as bank account numbers under the pretense that they are assisting someone from Nigerian royalty in transferring money to the United States. The scammer then offers compensation for their aid. Law enforcement stated that investigating this type of crime poses challenges, “as many leads have led to individuals who live outside of the United States.”

After an 18-month and still ongoing investigation, police arrested Michael Neu on November 28 as they believed he was working with associates in Nigeria and serving as an intermediator in the fraudulent operations.

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Published on: December 13, 2016

15 Meat Factory Workers Charged With Food Stamp Fraud

by Staycie R. Sena

As a result of a food stamp fraud program ran by three sheriffs in Butler county, Ohio, 15 employees of two meat distributing companies were indicted in September for charges of illegally trading food stamp benefits for cash and narcotics, while many more also potentially face penalties.

The 15 employees of US Beef Cincinnati LLC and Butcher Shop Food Distributors LLC face charges of wire fraud, food stamp benefits fraud, theft of U.S. government property, money laundering and possession with intent to distribute and actual distribution of controlled substances.

The owners of US Beef, 45-year old Scott Traum and 43-year old Joey Traum, pleaded guilty in federal court last week to charges arising from their involvement in food stamp fraud. Both will be sentenced April 12.

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