Samuel D. Marcus, a Logistics Specialist with the U.S. Department of Defense, has been arrested and charged with laundering millions of dollars for a group of Nigerian-based scammers, U.S. authorities announced.

According to United States Attorney David Metcalf, Marcus was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, six counts of illegal monetary transactions, and one count of money laundering – illegal concealment.

“The defendant allegedly served as a money mule for sophisticated Nigerian fraudsters, receiving, concealing, and transferring millions of dollars in stolen funds,” Metcalf said. “These schemes targeted victims across the United States and involved a variety of fraud types, including romance fraud, cyber fraud, and business email compromise.”

The indictment states that from July 2023 to December 2025, Marcus maintained direct and regular contact with the fraudsters, who operated under the aliases “Rachel Jude” and “Ned McMurray.”

Under their direction, he allegedly conducted rapid financial transactions to convert victim funds into cryptocurrency and moved the money into foreign accounts.

“Marcus knowingly misled his financial institutions and law enforcement, sending fraudulent invoices to make illicit transactions appear legitimate,” Metcalf added.

Authorities allege that Marcus continued laundering funds even after being warned by FBI agents that the money passing through his accounts had been stolen. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $2 million fine.

The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke.

Metcalf emphasised, “The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.” (Vanguard)

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