A Deer Park resident has been sentenced to federal prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business that involved a counterfeit $2.3 million U.S. Treasury check, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bobby Charles Lee Sr., 66, pleaded guilty on June 30 to running the illegal scheme between 2020 and 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt sentenced Lee to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release with strict conditions on company and bank account ownership as well as restrictions on technology access. The court also ordered Lee to pay restitution to two victims, with amounts to be determined.
During sentencing, Judge Hoyt remarked that Lee’s actions were among the “most outrageous” he had witnessed in his 37 years on the bench. He told Lee, “at your age, you still have not come home to right,” and questioned why Lee had not informed his family about his criminal case.
The court learned that Lee continued moving illicit funds while out on bond. From 2020 through 2024, he operated the unlicensed business by moving funds through multiple personal and business accounts without proper state or federal authorization. He accepted deposits and negotiable instruments from others into accounts he controlled, prompting banks to flag several transactions as suspicious or fraudulent and close related accounts.
In March 2024, authorities said Lee deposited a counterfeit $2.3 million U.S. Treasury check and used part of the proceeds for personal enrichment, including purchasing a Cadillac vehicle for himself and his spouse. Authorities later seized the car and recovered approximately $2.1 million of the fraudulent funds.
Lee was allowed to remain free on bond until he voluntarily surrenders at a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration with help from the FBI and Deer Park Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case with support from Kristine Rollinson of the Asset Recovery Section.
