CONCORD — The federal conviction of Keene resident Ian Freeman on Thursday for his role in a money laundering scam strikes a blow against a growing problem, said Jane Young, the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire.
“The culture of scamming through the Internet has become a pervasive societal problem,” Young said in a written statement. “These scammers get away with their crimes, which often victimize some of our most vulnerable citizens, by hiding their tracks, including the money trail.”
Prosecutors said Freeman laundered proceeds of fraudulent Internet transactions by exchanging U.S. dollars for Bitcoin, a type of digital currency backed by computer code rather than a central banking authority.
“Money launderers such as Ian Freeman are the ones who help hide the money for these scammers,” Young said.
Jurors on Thursday found Freeman guilty of all the criminal charges he faced: operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, money laundering and tax evasion, as well as conspiracy charges in connection with the money-laundering and unlicensed money-transmitting allegations. A sentencing hearing is set for April 14.
“Today’s swift verdict sends a strong message that this type of money laundering will not be tolerated,” Young said Thursday. “Stopping scammers by disrupting their methods for hiding their tracks is an important…
