After a four-day trial, a federal jury found two Texas men guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Stanley Anyanwu, 41, and Vitalis Anyanwu, 42, were convicted on these charges, according to Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr.
The case centers on a February 2022 business email compromise (BEC) scam, which defrauded the City of Memphis of a $773,695.45 payment. The funds, intended for a contractor, were redirected to a bank account managed by the fraudsters. Despite realizing the error swiftly, the city could not recover the funds as they were quickly funneled through a money laundering network.
The FBI investigation identified Stanley and Vitalis Anyanwu as conspirators, and also discovered that the same network was involved in exploiting victims through romance scams.
In the conspiracy, the defendants acted as "money mules" for internet-based fraud schemes. A BEC scam occurs when a person is deceived by an email appearing legitimate, often leading to fraud or data theft. A romance scam involves scammers posing as relationship prospects to solicit money from victims.
Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico from the FBI Nashville Field Office commented on the case, stating, "These defendants defrauded multiple individuals and entities resulting in a significant loss to the City of Memphis." He added, "The FBI and our partners are committed to holding accountable those who seek to line their own pockets through business email compromise, romance, and money laundering schemes, and will continue to work tirelessly to investigate those who engage in criminal activity resulting in financial harm to members of our community."
Sentencing for the convicted men is scheduled for July 18, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. The FBI conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Smith and Reid Manning prosecuted the case for the government.
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