Uncovering the Web of Internet Fraud and Money Laundering

Defendants from Different States

Misha L. Cooper, 50, and Robert A. Cooper, 66, along with Dazai S. Harris, 34, and Edward D. Peebles, 35, are from Murfreesboro, Tenn. Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, Carlesha L. Perry, 36, Lauren O. Guidry, 32, and Caira Y. Osby, 44, are residents of Houston. Whitney D. Bardley, 30, is from Florissant, Mo. These nine defendants are alleged to have formed an organization that used various tactics to launder money.

Their alleged scheme involved creating sham and front companies to conceal the fraud proceeds and enrich the members of the conspiracy. They allegedly used "herders" to recruit and direct "money mules" to launder money obtained through internet fraud, including business email "compromise schemes" since 2016. The total amount laundered exceeded $20 million, targeting businesses and individuals both in the United States and abroad.

The Indictment and Arrests

The defendants were indicted in the U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee in Nashville, and the indictment was unsealed on Wednesday. They were arrested in a coordinated takedown across Tennessee, Texas, and Missouri, although the DOJ did not specify when the arrests took place. Agents from the FBI's field offices in Nashville and Salt Lake City, along with the Boise, Idaho, resident agency, and the FBI's forensic accountant support team assisted in the federal investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Carran Daughtrey in Nashville, along with trial attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Jasmin Salehi Fashami, are prosecuting the cases against the nine defendants. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, as they are charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering. However, they are innocent until proven guilty.