November 13, 08

NEWS / New York Residents Convicted in Money Laundering Scheme

Andrew T. Baxter, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of New
York, and John F. Pikus, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, announced that RONALD PERSAUD, age 55, ESTHER
PERSAUD, age 50, and SHAWN PERSAUD, age 24, of Saratoga, New York, were
convicted on Monday, November 10, 2008, following a jury trial before the Honorable
Thomas J. McAvoy, Senior United States District Judge.
RONALD and ESTHER PERSAUD were each convicted of conspiracy to commit
wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and twelve counts of
substantive wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. The
former count carries a five-year maximum term of imprisonment; the latter counts each
carry a twenty-year maximum term of imprisonment. RONALD and ESTHER PERSAUD
were each acquitted of one count of wire fraud involving a $5,500 payment to convicted codefendant
PHILIP RECHNITZER.
RONALD, ESTHER and SHAWN PERSAUD were each convicted of conspiracy to
launder monetary instruments, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h).
That section carries a twenty-year maximum term of imprisonment.
In substance, the evidence at trial showed that defendants RONALD and ESTHER
PERSAUD perpetrated a wire fraud conspiracy by enticing investors to pay advance fees
on the false promise that the investors would receive millions of dollars in commercial
funding. The investors made advance fee payments in excess of $1 million and received
no commercial funding. RONALD PERSAUD purported to be the person with banking
connections, ESTHER PERSAUD purported to be a bank executive. RONALD, ESTHER
and SHAWN PERSAUD then conspired to conduct a series of financial transactions
calculated to conceal and disguise the source, ownership and control of the advance fees
paid to the PERSAUDs and others.
RONALD PERSAUD was also convicted of two counts of mail fraud in violation of
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. Each count carries a twenty-year maximum
term of imprisonment. In substance, the evidence at trial showed that RONALD and
convicted defendant INDRANIE PERSAUD perpetuated a scheme to inflate the latter’s
employment income on a mortgage application to obtain a $712,000 mortgage to obtain
a real property known as 12 Beacon Hill, Saratoga Springs, New York.
ESTHER PERSAUD was also convicted of one count of making a false statement
under oath at a bankruptcy hearing, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
152. The bankruptcy count carries a five-year maximum term of imprisonment. In
substance, the evidence at trial showed that ESTHER PERSAUD made a false statement
to a bankruptcy trustee that included that she had no bank accounts, when , in fact,
ESTHER PERSAUD did have bank accounts.
Following the jury’s verdict, RONALD PERSAUD remanded into custody.
Additionally, all defendants are subject to periods of supervised release following
incarceration, as well as fines, restitution, asset forfeiture and a special assessment. All
are scheduled to be sentenced March 9, 2009.
The charges against the above-defendants follow an investigation by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. Further inquiries can be directed to Assistant U. S. Attorney
Thomas A. Capezza, Albany, New York at (518) 431-0247
http://www.fbi.gov/fieldnews/breaking.htm