Money laundering

Published on: October 26, 2020

Five Individuals Charged for Allegedly Scamming $1.1 Million from COVID-19 Relief Program

The Department of Justice has announced charges against three Milwaukee men and two Chicago-area men accused of participating in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1 million in coronavirus (COVID-19) relief aid.

The defendants named in the indictment are: Thomas Smith, 46, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Stephen Smith, 42, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Robert Hamilton, 59, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Samuel Davis Jr., 40, of Chicago, Illinois; and Jonathan Henley, 52, of Chicago, Illinois. Four of the defendants are charged with bank fraud and money laundering, while Henley is charged with bank fraud only. It is unclear if any of the defendants has acquired legal counsel.

Published on: October 19, 2020

Four Chicago Women Indicted for Attempting to Defraud $1 Million from State Child Care Subsidy Program

by Brian Silber

A grand jury has indicted four owners of daycare businesses in Chicago for allegedly defrauding a state child care subsidy program out of more than $1 million.

Named in the indictments are Tarnavis A. Lee, 41, owner of Lee’s Toddler Town, Inc.; Demetra M. Jackson, 41, owner of Jitter Bugs, Inc.; Elizabeth McFarland, 46, owner of Tater Tots, Inc.; and LaShanda Hudson, 39, owner of a daycare business in her name. The four women are charged with multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. It is unclear if they have acquired legal representation.

Published on: October 12, 2020

Two Broward Attorneys Face Charges in Scheme to Steal Foreclosure Surplus Checks

by Brian Silber

Two Broward lawyers were arrested last week for their alleged involvement in a $750,000 scheme to defraud unwitting property owners of foreclosure surplus checks.

Rashisa Overby, 46, and Ria Sankar-Balram, 40, were arrested on Monday and face multiple counts of fraud, money laundering, grand theft, among other charges. Sankar-Balram was released on $57,000 bond. Overby, who was charged with several more counts, remains held in lieu of $140,000 bond. It is unclear if they have acquired legal representation.

Published on: October 9, 2020

South Florida Prosecutors Charge 11 Individuals in Telemedicine Fraud Scheme that Stole Millions from Health Insurers

by Brian Silber

10 South Florida residents and one Boston man have been charged in Fort Lauderdale federal court for their alleged role in a massive nationwide telemedicine scheme that bilked insurance companies out of millions of dollars for unnecessary prescription medication. They are accused of soliciting patients, prescribing them unneeded compound medications for purported injuries, and then billing their health insurance providers for the unnecessary services. It is unclear if any of the defendants has hired an attorney.

Published on: October 8, 2020

Texas Man Charged in $24 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud

by Brian Silber

The U.S. Department of Justice filed an indictment Thursday charging a Dallas-area man for his alleged participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking approximately $24.8 million from a federal COVID-19 relief program.

Dinesh Sah, 55, of Coppell, TX, was charged with three counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering. He was arrested on September 16 and remains in custody. The press did not name an attorney for him.