A Nigerian citizen and eight other individuals have been indicted in connection with a multi-state money laundering organization that allegedly laundered $20 million in proceeds from internet fraud schemes, including business email compromise (BEC) attacks. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed the indictment in an official statement on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
The DOJ revealed, “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 coordinated operation led to the arrest of all nine defendants, who were apprehended across three separate jurisdictions in a planned takedown. The accused include:
Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, of Houston, Texas
Misha L. Cooper, 50, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Robert A. Cooper, 66, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Carlesha L. Perry, 36, of Houston, Texas
Whitney D. Bardley, 30, of Florissant, Missouri
Lauren O. Guidry, 32, of Houston, Texas
Caira Y. Osby, 44, of Houston, Texas
Dazai S. Harris, 34, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Edward D. Peebles, 35, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
These individuals face charges of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, as outlined in court documents.
According to the indictment, the money laundering network began its operations around November 2016 and spanned multiple states, including Tennessee and Texas, while extending its influence across the United States.
The organization allegedly relied on a hierarchical structure where “recruiters,” referred to as “herders,” were tasked with enlisting participants known as “money mules.” These mules facilitated the laundering of illicit funds acquired through fraudulent online activities that targeted businesses and individuals in the U.S. and internationally.
Authorities said that the defendants utilized sham and front companies to obscure the origins of the fraudulently obtained money, thereby enriching themselves and other members of the criminal enterprise. The conspiracy is alleged to have agreed to launder proceeds exceeding $20 million.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the DOJ’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 jointly announced the arrests and charges.
“The sophisticated nature of this operation underscores the seriousness of cyber-enabled financial crimes,” Argentieri stated. “We remain committed to dismantling criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable individuals and businesses for personal gain.”
The FBI’s Nashville Field Office led the investigation in collaboration with the Salt Lake City Field Office and Boise Resident Agency. The FBI’s Forensic Accountant Support Team was crucial in unraveling the financial transactions central to the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami from the DOJ’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
