Fairport Woman Pleads Guilty to Lying to Federal Investigators

   ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Ann Marie Laurini, 48, of Fairport, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci to making false statements to Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Laurini repeatedly lied to IRS agents in connection with an investigation of Kenneth Griffin and others into financial fraud and money-laundering crimes. The defendant was employed by Griffin from March 2006 to May 2008, and engaged in acts that furthered the financial fraud. Laurini was interviewed by federal agents on several occasions concerning her knowledge and involvement in the fraud and during those interviews she falsely stated that she had not engaged in various acts of deception in furtherance of the fraud. The investigation ultimately resulted in charges against Kenneth Griffin, Brian Campbell, and two others, all of whom have been convicted.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Shantelle P. Kitchen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office,.