Maryland National Guard Member Admits to Role in Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Scheme

A member of the Maryland National Guard has pleaded guilty in federal court for his involvement in a conspiracy that laundered millions of dollars obtained through various fraudulent activities, including romance scams and business email compromise schemes. The plea, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, details a sophisticated operation that defrauded at least 33 victims.

The defendant, Alagborenepakake Opuiyo, 32, acknowledged his participation in the money laundering conspiracy between May 2019 and November 2022. Court documents indicate that Opuiyo and his accomplices established bank accounts, referred to as “drop accounts,” to receive illicit funds. These accounts were then used to facilitate the movement of the stolen money through a series of transfers to other controlled accounts or direct cash withdrawals, all designed to conceal the origins of the money. The intended financial loss from these criminal activities amounted to nearly $3 million, with actual losses exceeding $2.2 million. Opuiyo himself is reportedly responsible for at least $244,614.35 in laundered funds passing through accounts under his control.

As part of his guilty plea, Opuiyo has agreed to a money judgment of at least $244,614.35, and he will be required to pay restitution to victims for the full extent of their losses, estimated to be at least $2,270,668.40. The conspiracy involved victims who believed they were engaged in legitimate online dating relationships, only to be persuaded to wire substantial sums of money to the fraudulent accounts. Opuiyo and his co-conspirators utilized these accounts to conduct further financial maneuvers, including cash withdrawals, the purchase of cashier’s checks, and writing checks to third parties, all in an effort to obscure the true ownership and source of the laundered assets. The maximum penalty for this offense is 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 20, 2027, before U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman.

The investigation was a collaborative effort involving multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Reserve Board’s Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has provided resources for the public to report fraud on its website.

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

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