In short
- Mintah used numerous bank accounts and a shell company, Dazionking LLC, to move victim proceeds to coconspirators.
- The charges carry potential prison sentences up to 20 years and fines up to $500,000.
What happened
Manaseh Mintah, a Massachusetts resident, was convicted on September 28, 2026, for laundering money stolen from victims of internet-enabled romance scams. He operated through personal and shell company accounts, transferring at least approximately $1.2 million to coconspirators via wire transfers and cash withdrawals.
Mintah faced one count of money laundering conspiracy, three counts of money laundering, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The charges carry statutory maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $500,000 for money laundering, and up to 5 years and $250,000 for the unlicensed business.
In numbers
- $1.2 million Amount laundered by Mintah
- 20 years Maximum prison sentence for conspiracy and one laundering charge
- $500,000 Maximum fine for each money laundering charge
What compliance teams should check
- Review customer accounts for shell entities like Dazionking LLC linked to romance scam typologies.
- Monitor wire transfers and cash withdrawals from personal and business accounts for patterns matching Mintah's scheme.
- Update internal risk lists to flag unlicensed money transmitting businesses as seen in Mintah's conviction.
Why it matters
This case highlights the risks posed by romance scams and the use of shell companies to launder illicit proceeds. Compliance officers must be vigilant in identifying suspicious account activity, especially involving personal and shell business accounts, wire transfers, and cash withdrawals. The conviction demonstrates that law enforcement actively pursues individuals who facilitate cyber-enabled fraud, emphasizing the need for robust AML/CFT controls to detect and report such schemes. Financial institutions should strengthen monitoring for typologies associated with romance scams and unlicensed money transmitting businesses.
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A Massachusetts man was convicted on September 28, 2026, for his role in a multi-year conspiracy to launder money that was stolen from victims across the United States as a part of a series of internet-enabled romance scams.U.S. Department of Justice, 2 Oct 2026, 12:00 UTC, justice.gov