On November 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that federal prosecutors in Middle District of Tennessee unsealed an indictment charging nine members of a multi-state money laundering organization with conspiracy to engage in money laundering. According to the DOJ, the defendants laundered millions of dollars in funds obtained from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes in the United States and abroad. Federal prosecutors allege that the conspirators agreed to generate and launder more than $20 million in fraud proceeds. The DOJ reported that all nine defendants were recently arrested as part of a “takedown” coordinated across three jurisdictions. The indictment charges Tennessee residents Misha Cooper, Robert Cooper, Dazai Harris and Edward Peebles; Texas residents Samson Omoniyi, Carlesha Perry, Lauren Guidry, and Caira Osby; and Missouri resident Whitney Bardley for their roles in the scheme.
According to the indictment, the defendants began operating their money laundering organization in approximately November 2016. The organization was allegedly structured to enable recruiters (also known as herders) to enlist and direct participants (also known as money mules) to the launder the proceeds of the internet fraud schemes. Federal prosecutors allege that the defendants used personal and business bank accounts opened in the names of sham and front companies to conceal the illegal proceeds and enrich scheme conspirators.