Georgia man convicted of money laundering connected to fraudulent real estate deal
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Abdoul Aziz Bah of Stockbridge, Georgia, pled guilty on Aug. 27 to one felony count of money laundering and presented $5,000 in cash as a partial restitution owed to the victims in this case.
In April of 2023, Bah, while using the alias Richard Anderson, created multiple false limited liability corporations to receive and launder cash stolen from real estate transactions stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Friday about the conviction.
On March 1, 2023, a Newbury Park family had $200,000 while trying to buy a local home by following fraudulent wire transfer instructions directing them to transfer the above sum to an account controlled by Bah and not the family's escrow company detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Bah separated the stolen money into smaller amounts and transferred those funds into accounts allegedly under the control of codefendant Jasmine Shante Faniel, also known as Teresa Dennis, of Conyers, Georgia.
Faniel allegedly used false limited liability corporations to open multiple accounts at different banks in Georgia for the sole purpose of receiving and laundering money stolen from real estate transactions explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Faniel was arrested in Georgia on Aug. 1, 2024, extradited to Ventura County on Aug. 22, and is currently in custody at the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $1 million shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office stated that Faniel's next court date is an early disposition conference currently scheduled for Sep. 26, 2024.
Bah's is currently scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing on Sep. 26, 2024 in courtroom 26 of the Ventura County Superior Court where he faces up to three years in jail explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office shares that during a real estate transaction where a buyer is told by an escrow office by email, phone, or text, to send money via a wire transfer or cashier's check, you should independently verify the instructions before sending any funds.
You should not reply directly to the email or phone number sending any wire instructions advises the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Additionally, it is highly unusual to receive emails or text messages claiming the escrow company you are working with has recently "changed banks" and that situation should be considered highly suspicious shares the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The simplest advice from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, inquire before you wire.
