2 Men Charged With Money Laundering, Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

Charlotte -- April 11, 2024: Press Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina

A newly unsealed criminal indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte charges Olumide Olorunfunmi, 41, of Arlington, Texas, and Samson Amos, 52, of Burlington, New Jersey, with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and concealment money laundering, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A third defendant, Emmanuel Unuigbe, 41, of Dallas, Texas, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment and filed court documents in Unuigbe’s case, from 2020 through 2023, Olorunfunmi and Amos conspired with Unuigbe and others to launder the illegal proceeds of business email compromise schemes (BECs) and online romance scams targeting elderly victims. Victims of these frauds were directed into wiring and otherwise transferring funds into bank accounts controlled by Olorunfunmi, Amos, Unuigbe and their coconspirators, including bank accounts in the name of Topaz Trading & Logistics Inc., Summit Trading & Financial Services Inc., and Stage 23 Konsult LLC. After receiving the fraud proceeds, Olorunfunmi and Amos depleted the bank accounts through multiple withdrawals and transfers into other accounts, including overseas accounts. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants and their coconspirators caused more than 125 third parties to deposit or transfer over $4.5 million of proceeds stemming from illegal activities.

According to allegations in the indictment, Olorunfunmi and Amos profited by, among other things, keeping a percentage of fraudulent proceeds obtained through the schemes. They also allegedly earned compensation by conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business, through which Olorunfunmi and Amos agreed to, among other things, “pay” for the domestic deposits received by others by transferring Nigerian Naria from accounts the coconspirators controlled in Nigeria to other accounts in Nigeria, based upon a “black market” exchange rate for United States Dollars to Naira.

Amos was released on bond after making his initial appearance in court in Charlotte. Olorunfunmi is scheduled to have his initial appearance in Charlotte on April 25, 2024.

The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business has a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. The concealment money laundering charges each carry a maximum sentence of no more than 20 years in prison.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.

If you believe you were impacted by the charged crimes and/or were asked to send money to Topaz, Summit, or Stage 23, please contact the FBI at 704-672-6100.