The scheme utilized “money mules” to facilitate the movement of the stolen funds through various bank accounts. In one case, the mules convinced an individual to share their bank account details by claiming that a $17 million gift was awaiting them at a European bank.
In January 2023, the alleged perpetrator’s email, which closely resembled those from the union’s consultant but differed by one letter, requested the multi-million-dollar transfer. The union representative, believing the email to be legitimate, transferred the funds on January 30, 2023, to an account provided by the perpetrator.
Subsequently, the perpetrator instructed the account holder to distribute the funds, transferring $900,000 to another individual, $4.4 million to a JPMorgan Chase account, $750,000 to yet another person, and $200,000 to another recipient, while keeping $100,000 for themselves.
The government has not yet identified the perpetrator of the fraud scheme.
The federal government is represented by Matthew M. Lyons of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, along with Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne E. Rosen from the Department of Justice.
