A federal grand jury in Oakland has indicted four individuals for allegedly operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and conspiring to make false statements to a bank. The indictment, filed on November 7, 2024, and unsealed on December 16, 2024, charges Gaston Kolker from Connecticut, Michael Goldfine from New York, Astrid Jasnis from Argentina, and Joanna O’Donnell from Sherman Oaks, California.
The defendants are accused of making false statements to FDIC-insured banks to start and maintain a business that transmitted money on behalf of others. Many of these clients were reportedly foreign nationals in Argentina. It is alleged that the defendants opened several accounts under false pretenses by claiming they were held by companies involved in importing and exporting goods while actually using them for an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Kolker was arrested in Connecticut on December 13, 2024. He made his initial court appearance in Hartford the same day and was released on a $250,000 bond. Goldfine self-surrendered on December 13, 2024, appeared in New York City court that day, and was released on a $100,000 bond. Both Kolker and Goldfine are scheduled to appear in San Francisco on January 21, 2025.
O’Donnell also self-surrendered and appeared in San Francisco court on December 16, 2024. She is currently out on a $100,000 bond following her hearing before Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim on December 20, 2024. Jasnis remains at large.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey along with FBI Special Agent Robert K. Tripp; FDIC-OIG Special Agent Ryan Korner; and USPIS Inspector Stephen M. Sherwood.
It is important to note that an indictment only alleges crimes have been committed; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of the charges against them—conspiracy to make false statements to a bank and operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business—the defendants could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per violation.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert David Rees is prosecuting the case with assistance from Kay Konopaske and Veronica Hernandez. The investigation leading to this prosecution was conducted by the FBI, FDIC-OIG, and USPIS.