SCOTT HAYMOND, 43, of Bonney Lake, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six months of home detention, three years of probation and a $5,000 fine for Structuring Currency Transactions. HAYMOND also forfeits to the government $268,800, a sum of money equal to the amount of structured currency transactions. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez told him, “there is so much stuff smelling here, there has to be a fire. You have been involved in much more nefarious activity than putting money in your bank account.” Judge Martinez said he would not impose prison time in this case for the simple reason that government investigators “have not been able to catch you dirty.”

According to the plea agreement, in September 2005, HAYMOND made 28 different deposits into six different banks or branches of the same bank in amounts between $9,000 and $9,900. Those deposits totaled $268,800 – the amount HAYMOND is now forfeiting to the government. In November of 2006, HAYMOND again made a series of structured deposits: nineteen deposits between $9,000 and $9,900 at thirteen different banks or bank branches. Those deposits totaled $185,000. In all, government investigators estimated that HAYMOND structured the deposits on some $604,000 in cash. Federal law requires banks to file Currency Transaction Reports on cash deposits of more than $10,000. HAYMOND admits in his plea agreement dated April 2, 2008, that he structured the deposits so there would be no currency transaction reports.

Investigators for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were unable to determine the source of much of the cash. HAYMOND’s attorney claimed HAYMOND was keeping the cash in a shoe box at home for a rainy day. Judge Martinez dismissed that explanation. “I do believe you are a very sophisticated businessman,” the judge said. “I don’t buy that you are going to keep the extensive amount of cash in a shoe box.” Judge Martinez went on to note a “theme of concealment, of not telling the whole truth,” in HAYMOND’s dealings with the court. And the judge warned HAYMOND that if he violated any of the terms of his probation he would be back in court “looking at a lot more” than the six month prison sentence prosecutors were asking for.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Janet Freeman and Rich Cohen.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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