A Thomaston, Connecticut man has been sentenced in a federal court for his involvement in fraudulent activities and money laundering. Hanibal Tayeh, aged 63, received a 27-month prison sentence followed by five years of supervised release from U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.
In August 2024, Tayeh pleaded guilty to charges that included two counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. These charges stemmed from his initial arrest in July 2018.
Tayeh's fraudulent activities occurred between 2013 and 2014 when he used fake documents to secure a $9.1 million loan package and later an additional $400,000 credit extension from a bank. The fraudulent documents were linked to a business venture he claimed was underway in Saudi Arabia. He also deceived an individual regarding construction projects purportedly taking place in the same country. The proceeds from these schemes were laundered through payments made to third parties for personal expenses.
Moreover, Tayeh made a false statement during bankruptcy proceedings by denying any knowledge of a fabricated letter of credit he had created.
The sentencing announcement was made by United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge at the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Boston Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan prosecuted the case.