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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Not even halfway through I thought it sure did sound like they were using internet fraud to commit money laundering, and probably some old-fashioned fraud on the side. If so, where was the money coming from that needed so much laundering? Sounds like that is something else still to be uncovered. Good work!

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Liana Chenoweth Kornfield's avatar

Looking up Zionbancorp, I found "Zions First National Bank, N.A. (Zions), of Salt Lake City, Utah, settled allegations by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania that Zions and its affiliated payment processor facilitated consumer fraud by providing payment processing services to telemarketing and Internet merchants that were debiting money illegally from consumers’ bank accounts. Under a civil settlement reached between ZB and the government, the bank will pay a civil money penalty of $3.6 million to the United States Treasury, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen." as a start.....

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

Good job! That is interesting information. However, that seems like a way to obtain money, not a way to launder what you already have, unless the consumer accounts were themselves fraudulent. Hmmmm. Set up fake accounts with illegally obtained money elsewhere, then steal that money fraudulently, then...? It's one o'clock am, here, and this needs some further thought that is beyond my capabilities at this past midnight moment. Thanks.

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Liana Chenoweth Kornfield's avatar

What times are these...... The possible convolutions are beyond me even at 9:00 am! I'd make a horrible crook. Good luck!

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