A Maryland man received a federal prison term today in connection with a multi-million-dollar money laundering scheme.

Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Bright Boateng, 45, of Bladensburg, to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to engage in a large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy.  Additionally, Judge Maddox ordered Boateng to pay $1,247,950 in restitution and to forfeit $431,750. Boateng, who pled guilty to participating in the money laundering conspiracy on February 6, 2026, admitted that nearly $1.5 million in money laundering occurred pursuant to his direct participation in the conspiracy.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud as well as the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).

According to court documents, beginning in 2020, and continuing into November 2023, Boateng conspired with multiple individuals to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud in connection with Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the conspiracy.

The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others.  

As part of the scheme, Boateng and his co-conspirators worked together to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of shell entities; and receive and launder fraud proceeds.

Specifically, Boateng received money from at least seven different EIDLs and used a shell entity to obtain the illegal proceeds. Additionally, he stole the identity of another individual to open business and personal bank accounts that were used to receive fraud proceeds and engage in other financial transactions.  Boateng also used a fraudulent Maryland driver’s license bearing his photo with another person’s information.

Court records show that Boateng has an extensive criminal history, with more than 20 criminal convictions and more than 40 arrests.  Boateng’s criminal history consisted of a wide range of conduct, including theft, fraud, drugs, and violence.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland previously charged 14 defendants in connection with the money laundering conspiracy – 13 already pled guilty.  Faizou Gnora, 28, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remains a fugitive from justice.  

The District Court previously sentenced:

• Killen to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution of $7,070,656.46, and a $3 million forfeiture order  
• Agbeyome to 72 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, along with restitution of $2,938,424.65, and a $2.8 million preliminary order of forfeiture  
• Ogunsanwo to 40 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $5,648,816.23
• Parker to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, and restitution of $8,306,930.95
• Ogisi to 33 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $11,077,044.17
• Colon to 27 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and restitution of $2,515,159.63
• Harris to 24 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $3,159,482.83
• Herrera to 24 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $1,473,125.58
• Ndjouandjouaka to 24 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $733,941.48

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

This prosecution is alsopart of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.

Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and thanked IRS-CI and EPA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes praised the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance.  She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi, Harry M. Gruber, and Jared M. Beim, who prosecuted the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance.