Adanegbe Gift Osenmwenkhae, 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to orchestrating a large-scale conspiracy that laundered more than $20 million in wire fraud proceeds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland reported that Osenmwenkhae managed a multi-member operation that worked to conceal the origins and movement of fraudulently obtained funds, which impacted at least 15 victims, including government agencies, educational institutions, and private companies.
From 2021 to February 2024, Osenmwenkhae, along with co-conspirators including Yahya Sowe, known as “Cash,” and individuals like Gedeon Agbeyome, Victor Killen, and Areal Harris, used a variety of financial transactions to disguise the nature, source, and ownership of stolen money.
Osenmwenkhae played a managerial role in the conspiracy, facilitating the laundering of over $20 million and ensuring that proceeds were distributed among the conspirators for their participation in the scheme. He coordinated the creation of shell companies, opened bank accounts, and used encrypted electronic communications to help process the illicit funds.
Victims of the scheme included an environmental trust, a medical center, a transportation firm, a school district, and a county government. The conspiracy also involved numerous fraudulent activities to facilitate the ongoing movement of stolen money.
Osenmwenkhae faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his role in managing the money laundering operation. The investigation is still ongoing, and other individuals involved in the conspiracy have been identified in court filings.
