Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A New Jersey resident pleaded guilty on Mar. 24 in federal court in Boston to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and handling funds he believed were linked to criminal activity.
The case highlights the risks posed by illegal financial operations that can enable the movement of funds derived from online scams and other unlawful sources.
Shadrach Anapalum, 36, of Newark, admitted guilt before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who set sentencing for June 10. Prosecutors said that between May and December 2022, Anapalum received about $375,000 from at least four victims of online scams. He typically kept around ten percent of the money before sending the remainder to accounts overseas, including in China and Turkey.
Authorities reported that during a recorded conversation with a cooperating witness, Anapalum acknowledged lying to a bank about check deposits and agreed his actions were not legitimate. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss involved. Sentencing will be determined by federal guidelines and statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea along with Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney is prosecuting the case.
