New ‘Romance Scam’ Allegations in Virtual Currency Case

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire man accused of operating an unlicensed digital foreign money trade enterprise faces extra allegations associated to the enterprise, akin to taking advantage of “romance scams.”

Ian Freeman, of Keene, was first charged final yr with wire fraud, cash laundering, working a seamless monetary crimes enterprise, and working an unlicensed cash transmitting enterprise. He pleaded not responsible and faces a federal trial Nov. 1.

Freeman, a frontrunner of the libertarian Free Keene group and radio present host, was indicted Monday on new counts associated to the enterprise, together with conspiracy-related costs.

The indictment alleges that he opened financial institution accounts at monetary establishments whereas deceiving the establishments concerning the nature of the enterprise being transacted via the accounts. It alleges that a number of the transactions facilitated the switch of the proceeds of scams, akin to “romance scams.”

An e mail looking for remark was despatched to his lawyer Wednesday.

Aria DiMezzo, a co-defendant, additionally was indicted on a number of the identical costs. She “maintains her place that she did nothing fallacious and shouldn’t be prosecuted. She seems ahead to a trial earlier than a jury of New Hampshire residents,” her lawyer, Richard Guerriero, stated in a press release Wednesday.

Freeman, DiMezzo and 4 others had been arrested in March 2021. Three pleaded responsible to wire fraud in opening accounts at monetary establishments of their names or within the names of church buildings to permit somebody to make use of the accounts to promote digital foreign money. They face sentencing in July. Expenses had been dropped in opposition to the fourth particular person.

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