US-based Attorney Philip Sellinger announced the charges on a Middletown man, who was charged on Friday for the crime of money Laundering.
The US Court accused 29 year old resident of Middletown, Andrew Suarez, of laundering money. Reportedly, the man did so on behalf of Nigeria Based African gang, Black Axe. According to federal prosecutors, the Nigerian Gang is responsible for widespread Internet fraud schemes and many other crimes.
His charges include: money laundering conspiracy, substantive money laundering counts and aggravated identity theft. Allegedly, The Culprit, Suarez, worked with conspirators to launder money to entities in the Cape Town, South Africa, area.
According to the prosecutors, these entities include one account in the name of Abravoo Trading Company. This account is in the control of a founding member of the Cape Town Zone of Black Axe.
The culprit, Saurez, who the authorities apprehended on the counts of Money Laundering, identity theft, et, al. opened up bank accounts in the United States.
He transferred the proceeds of the fraud schemes to other bank accounts in the United States. Afterwards, he wired proceeds to some bank accounts in Cape Town, South Africa. So that Saurez could avoid detection, he changed the information on some of his bank accounts. Consequently, these accounts listed the name and address of a victim.
Recently, in a similar case, A Nigerian national residing in Florida, Tochukwu Abel Edeh, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston. The court charged the Nigerian National with operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Abel Edeh used this business to launder the proceeds of online investment fraud schemes.
The 39-year-old national of Nigeria, who was previously a resident of Jacksonville, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns. The court charged 39 year old Nigerian with one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
