Maryland Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Role in Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy

A Hanover, Maryland woman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for her involvement in a large-scale money laundering conspiracy that processed millions of dollars obtained through wire fraud. Areal Harris, 27, was also ordered to pay over $3.1 million in restitution. She pleaded guilty in May 2025, admitting to directly participating in transactions that laundered at least $1.3 million.

The sentencing concludes a significant portion of an investigation led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). According to court documents, beginning in 2021 and continuing until February 2024, Harris and her co-conspirators worked together to launder proceeds from a sophisticated wire fraud operation. Their methods involved creating shell companies, opening bank accounts in the names of these entities, and then receiving and processing funds derived from fraudulent activities.

The victims of this extensive fraud scheme included a diverse range of entities, such as government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private companies. These included an environmental trust, an urban redevelopment program, a medical center, a transportation and logistics company, a school district, a college, and a county government. The conspiracy aimed to obscure the origin, nature, and control of the illicit funds, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the money back to its fraudulent sources.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland had previously charged a total of 14 defendants in connection with this money laundering conspiracy, with 13 of them having pleaded guilty. One defendant, Faizou Gnora, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remains a fugitive. Several other individuals have already received prison sentences for their roles. These include Gedeon Agbeyome, who was sentenced to 48 months and ordered to pay over $2.9 million in restitution; Lawrence Ogunsanwo, sentenced to 40 months with restitution of over $5.6 million; Lakeisha Parker, sentenced to 36 months with restitution of over $8.3 million; Martin Ogisi, sentenced to 33 months with restitution of over $11 million; Kevin Colon, sentenced to 27 months with restitution of over $2.5 million; and Victor Killen, sentenced to 63 months with restitution of over $7 million. Other defendants, including Adanegbe Gift Osemwenkhae, Emily Gil Arias, Fatoumata Boiro, Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, and Lorena Perez Herrera, have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gedeon Agbeyome and Lakeisha Parker also admitted to additional charges of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, respectively. Some defendants acknowledged serving as managers or supervisors within the money laundering operation. The overall scheme involved more than $20 million in laundered funds and impacted more than 15 different victim entities.

This prosecution is part of the broader initiative by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which aims to dismantle criminal organizations, including cartels, gangs, and transnational criminal enterprises, that operate within and beyond the United States. The HSTF focuses on a wide spectrum of criminal activities, emphasizing the prosecution of those involved in child trafficking and the removal of violent criminal aliens. The Baltimore component of the HSTF includes various federal and local law enforcement agencies working collaboratively.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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