Middletown, NJ man faces lengthy time in prison for role in money laundering scheme

A Middletown man is looking at a possible twenty-years in prison following an indictment for money laundering for the Cape Town Zone of Black Axe, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

The scheming took allegedly took place between August and December of 2017 when 29-year-old Andrew Suarez of Middletown is accused of working with a series of individuals to launder money to partners in Cape Town, South Africa, according to Sellinger, including Abravoo Trading Company which is a subsidy of Cape Town Zone of Black Axe who "were responsible for widespread internet-based fraud schemes." 

In his role, Suarez allegedly set up bank accounts here and then used them to hide money he got through defrauding other companies in the matter of emails and other fraud type activity and laundered money over to a notorious fraud scheme syndicate in South Africa.

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Attorney Sellinger said Suarez changed the names of the bank accounts he used by putting the victim's names and address on them so investigators would look for them and not him.

Suarez is charged with money laundering conspiracy, substantive money laundering counts, and aggravated identity theft.

He is looking at a maximum term 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved in the transfer, whichever is greater, for the money laundering charges and two-years for aggravated identity theft on top of the other sentence and have to pay a separate fine of up to $250,000, according to Sellinger.

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The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie H. Solano of the Criminal Division in Newark, according to Sellinger, and the defense counsel is John M. Holliday Esq., Hamilton, New Jersey.