Virginia Man Sentenced for Role in Money Laundering Scheme

PITTSBURGH - A Virginia resident has been sentenced in federal court to two years probation, including six months of home detention, on his conviction of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed sentence on Thomas Powell, 64, of Salem, Virginia.

In connection with sentencing, the court was advised that during the period from January 2011 through May 2016, Powell agreed to become a member of a money laundering conspiracy. Powell conducted financial transactions affecting interstate commerce, knowing that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. Powell knew that each of the financial transactions was designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. As part of the money laundering conspiracy, the defendant and his co-conspirators conducted the following financial transactions: 1) withdrew funds from prepaid debit cards and credit cards; 2) transmitted and received funds via MoneyGram, Walmart and Western Union; 3) cashed checks and money orders; and 4) sent and received wire transfers of funds. The funds involved in these transactions, which totaled thousands of dollars, were the proceeds of wire fraud.

Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.