US Money Mule Sentenced 52 Months In Federal Court

http://www.justice.gov/usao/vaw/news/el ... n2014.html

Bluefield, W.Va Resident Pleads to Structuring and Wire Fraud Charges
Audrey Elrod Faces up to 20 Years in Prison for Crimes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 14, 2014

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – A West Virginia woman, who was part of a Nigerian wire fraud scheme, pled guilty yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon.

Audrey Elaine Elrod, 45, of Bluefield, W.Va., waived her right to be indicted yesterday and pled guilty to a two-count Information charging her with one count of structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“Ms. Elrod and her co-conspirators stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in an elaborate fraud scheme,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “This United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of financial fraud and bring those who commit such fraud to justice.”

According to evidence presented in court by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer, Elrod was a participant in a Nigerian wire fraud scheme in which money was sent to Elrod from victims. Elrod then structured the transactions and forwarded most of the proceeds to Nigeria, via wire transfer. Between March 2012 and July 2013, Elrod received $446,927 in wire transfers into bank accounts she controlled. Between July 2012 and July 2013, Elrod structured $411,411 in cash transactions in an effort to hide her activity from the government.

At sentencing, Elrod faces a maximum possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and a maximum possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison on the structuring charge. In addition, the defendant faces a possible additional10-year prison term, per count, for committing these crimes while on pretrial release.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the United States Marshal Service, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, the Bluefield Virginia Police Department, and the Bluefield West Virginia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/vaw/news/el ... l2014.html

Bluefield, W.Va Resident Sentenced To Prison for Role in Nigerian Fraud Scheme
Audrey Elrod Funneled over $400,000 to Nigeria
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2014

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – A West Virginia woman, who was part of a Nigerian wire fraud scheme, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon.

Audrey Elaine Elrod, 47, of Bluefield, W.Va., was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 52 months. Elrod previously pled guilty to an Information charging her with one count of structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

At sentencing, Elrod testified that an individual who identified himself as “Duke McGregor” befriended her on Facebook. She developed a romantic attachment with “Duke” through instant messaging. “Duke” eventually asked her to send money to his friend, “Sinclair,” in Nigeria. Over time, “Duke” caused hundreds of thousands of dollars to be sent to accounts controlled by Elrod. These amounts were unwittingly sent to Elrod by victims of the scheme. Elrod then structured the money out of her accounts, keeping the amounts below $10,000 to avoid the filing of Currency Transaction Reports with the IRS. She then sent the money by Western Union and MoneyGram to accounts in Nigeria. Elrod played an important role in the scheme because using her accounts disguised from the victims the fact that their money was ending up in Nigeria. Between March 2012 and July 2013, Elrod received $ $446,927.59 in wire transfers into bank accounts she controlled. Between July 2012 and July 2013, Elrod structured $411,411.20 in cash transactions in an effort to hide her activity from the government.

Elrod was arrested on federal charges on April 15, 2013. After the Court released her on bond, Elrod continued to receive and send money as part of the fraud scheme. She then absconded to Charlotte, North Carolina, and continued the scheme there. On August 29, 2013, she was apprehended in Charlotte and has remained in federal custody ever since.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the United States Marshal Service, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, the Bluefield Virginia Police Department, and the Bluefield West Virginia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.