Guilty of Money Laundering Scheme
Post 5238
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Prison Sentence for Fraud Must be Limited to the Fraud in Which the Defendant Participated
In United States v. Stephen O. Anagor, No. 2:24-CR-00019-DCLC-CRW (E.D. Tenn., Nov. 26, 2025) by Judge Clifton L. Corker the government sought to increase the defendant’s sentence because his co-conspirators added a fraudulent FBI scam that resulted in the victim’s suicide. Anagor sought a lower sentence because he was only involved in part of the fraud.
Charges & Plea
Defendant, a U.S. Army soldier pled guilty on June 11, 2025 to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud, Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Stalking Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Identity Theft that was part of a larger 38-count superseding indictment against Anagor and co-defendants Chinagorom Onwumere and Salma Abdalkareem for an international Nigerian-based romance-scam + follow-on “law-enforcement extortion” scheme.
Role of Anagor
Anagor recruited co-defendant Onwumere into the money-laundering side of the scam and received victim checks in the mail, deposited them into his own U.S. bank accounts, kept a cut, and wired the rest overseas (primarily to Nigeria).
Anagor purchased and sent flowers/gifts to victims to maintain the illusion of romance, knew the funds were proceeds of romance-scam fraud but did not know the specific communications with victims and was not aware that Nigerian co-conspirators were running a secondary “impersonate the FBI/Attorney General” extortion scheme on top of the romance scam.
Key Victim (Victim 1) & Tragic Outcome
An elderly retired teacher from Jonesborough, TN believed he was in a romantic relationship with a celebrity. Nude photos from scammers in Nigeria then switched to impersonating federal law enforcement, threatened exposure/arrest, and extorted $97,500 (his entire life savings) via checks and cashier’s checks sent to Onwumere/Abdalkareem.
After paying, the retired teacher faced continued threats that escalated to the point that Victim 1 sent suicidal messages to the scammers (thinking they were the “celebrity”) and on October 23, 2023 Victim 1 committed suicide.
Anagor knew Victim 1 was being targeted (saw his name and the laundering accounts in WhatsApp messages) and personally received $33,430 that originated from Victim 1’s money laundered through Onwumere/Abdalkareem, but he did not know about the law-enforcement impersonation, the threats, or the suicidal messages.
KEY LEGAL TAKEAWAYS FROM THE OPINION
Relevant Conduct (U.S.S.G. §1B1.3)
Anagor was responsible for the core romance-scam money-laundering activity he agreed to and could reasonably foresee, yet the court concluded he is not responsible for the Nigerian co-conspirators’ separate law-enforcement extortion tactics or knowledge of Victim 1’s suicidal ideation because those were outside the scope of the jointly undertaken activity he signed up for.
2B1.1(B)(16)(A) “Conscious Or Reckless Risk Of Death” In Fraud Cases
The statute requires either (i) subjective awareness, or (ii) objective recklessness. In the Sixth Circuit, the risk must be “actual, not conjectural.”
Mere participation in a romance scam that tragically ends in suicide is not enough for the enhancement when the defendant was unaware of the specific threats or victim’s mental state.
BOTTOM LINE
As of November 26, 2025, the court rejected the government’s attempts to add +4 levels to the fraud guideline calculation. The original (lower) offense level stands going into the December 2, 2025 sentencing hearing, where the court will still consider possible upward variances under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) because of the victim’s death and the overall egregiousness of the scheme.
ZALMA OPINION
Fraud schemes based in Nigeria have been rampant since I obtained adulthood in the 1960’s with even my older brother almost became a victim. Anagor, while serving as a soldier in the US Army participated in a fairly successful money laundering scheme by convincing an elderly man into a romance scam where he was led to believe he had a romantic involvement with a celebrity. The scheme went bad when they Nigerians claimed to be FBI agents who threatened him with arrest until he paid his life savings to the fraudsters. Anagor was allowed to be sentenced for the money laundering but not the FBI scheme that resulted in the victim’s suicide. He will be sentenced but not enhanced.
(c) 2025 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Anti-Public Adjuster Clause Is Effective in New York
Post number 5301
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/public-adjusters-attempt-represent-insured-subject-zalma-esq-cfe-rubfc, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Insurers May Contractually Prevent an Insured from Hiring a Public Adjuster
In Peter Barbato & North Jersey Public Adjusters Inc. v. Interstate Fire & Casualty Company, et al, No. 25-cv-5312 (JGK), United States District Court, S.D. New York (December 15, 2025) the plaintiffs, Peter Barbato and North Jersey Public Adjusters, Inc. (“NJPA”), filed suit against several insurance companies, including Interstate Fire & Casualty Company, Independent Specialty Insurance Company, and certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London.
FACTS
NJPA is a New Jersey-based public adjusting firm licensed in New York. The dispute centers on ...
Anti-Public Adjuster Clause Is Effective in New York
Post number 5301
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/public-adjusters-attempt-represent-insured-subject-zalma-esq-cfe-rubfc, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Insurers May Contractually Prevent an Insured from Hiring a Public Adjuster
In Peter Barbato & North Jersey Public Adjusters Inc. v. Interstate Fire & Casualty Company, et al, No. 25-cv-5312 (JGK), United States District Court, S.D. New York (December 15, 2025) the plaintiffs, Peter Barbato and North Jersey Public Adjusters, Inc. (“NJPA”), filed suit against several insurance companies, including Interstate Fire & Casualty Company, Independent Specialty Insurance Company, and certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London.
FACTS
NJPA is a New Jersey-based public adjusting firm licensed in New York. The dispute centers on ...
Proof of Highly Contaminated Water is Required for Extra Payments
Post number 5300
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/acting-your-own-lawyer-foolish-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-mbg0c, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Acting as Your Own Lawyer is Foolish
Evidence of Breach of Contract Survives Dismissal of All Other Charges
In Lee Lifeng Hsu and Jane Yuchen Hsu v. State Farm Fire And Casualty Company, C. A. No. N24C-09-020 CLS, Superior Court of Delaware (February 27, 2026) a claim to State Farm who paid approximately $61,000 after assessments but denied coverage for additional items including ceramic tiles, the kitchen floor ceiling, underlayment plywood, and numerous personal property items resulted in suit by the Hsu’s acting in pro per.
Facts
Lee Lifeng Hsu and Jane Yuchen Hsu (“Plaintiffs”) purchased a homeowners’ insurance policy from State Farm Fire...
Insurance Condition Requires Following the Intent of the Parties
Post number 5307
Principles of Contract Interpretation Compels Reading Contract as Written
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/portable-storage-containers-buildings-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-fkg1c and at https://zalma.com/blog.
In Eastside Floor Supplies, Ltd. v. SCS Agency, Inc., Hanover Insurance Company, et al., No. 2024-01501, Index No. 609883/19, 2026 NY Slip Op 01488, Supreme Court of New York, Second Department (March 18, 2026)
In May 2019, a fire damaged business personal property belonging to the plaintiffs, which was stored in portable storage containers at their Manhattan premises. At the time of the fire, the plaintiffs were insured under a businessowners insurance policy (BOP) issued by the defendant Hanover Insurance Company which provided general coverage for business personal property, and which included a specific extension for “Business Personal Property Temporarily in Portable Storage Units” (the portable storage ...
ERISA Saves Fraudulent Claims Suit
Post number 5306
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/failure-provide-well-pled-facts-defeats-most-action-zalma-esq-cfe-b4zuc and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Allegations of Fraudulent Insurance Billing Must be Pleaded with Specificity
In Genesis Laboratory Management LLC v. United Healthcare Services, Inc. and Oxford Health Plans, Inc., No. 21cv12057 (EP) (JSA), United States District Court, D. New Jersey (March 13, 2026) Genesis Laboratory Management LLC (“Genesis”), a New Jersey-based molecular diagnostic and anatomic pathology laboratory, provided COVID-19 related testing services and submitted claims for reimbursement as an out-of-network provider to United Healthcare Services, Inc. (“United”) and Oxford Health Insurance, Inc. (“Oxford”). Metropolitan Healthcare Billing, LLC (“Metropolitan”), owned by the same individual as Genesis, handled the billing for Genesis.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
United and Oxford, who administer both ERISA and ...
ERISA Saves Fraudulent Claims Suit
Post number 5306
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/failure-provide-well-pled-facts-defeats-most-action-zalma-esq-cfe-b4zuc and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Allegations of Fraudulent Insurance Billing Must be Pleaded with Specificity
In Genesis Laboratory Management LLC v. United Healthcare Services, Inc. and Oxford Health Plans, Inc., No. 21cv12057 (EP) (JSA), United States District Court, D. New Jersey (March 13, 2026) Genesis Laboratory Management LLC (“Genesis”), a New Jersey-based molecular diagnostic and anatomic pathology laboratory, provided COVID-19 related testing services and submitted claims for reimbursement as an out-of-network provider to United Healthcare Services, Inc. (“United”) and Oxford Health Insurance, Inc. (“Oxford”). Metropolitan Healthcare Billing, LLC (“Metropolitan”), owned by the same individual as Genesis, handled the billing for Genesis.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
United and Oxford, who administer both ERISA and ...
