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A report from the Associated Press says Missoula, Montana, it has been reported that a Kalispell

woman has been arrested and charged with conspiracy and money laundering after being

suspected of operating an illegal money mule company to collect money from different wire

fraud schemes in the United States and transport it abroad for a profit from various companies.

On 30 charges, Theresa Chabot is accused of running an unlicensed money transfer corporation

and conspiring to launder money, as well as 17 counts of money laundering promotion and 11

counts of cash laundering expenditure. The maximum punishment for Chabot, if found guilty of

the most severe felony, is 20 years in jail, a fine of $500,000, and three years of parole

supervision.

Desoto, a US Magistrate Judge, presided over the proceedings. Chabot was freed after a judge's

order pending further proceedings. A variety of wire fraud schemes allegedly used Chabot as an

unlicensed money transmitter between May 2016 and February 2021, according to the

indictment. Many other forms of wire fraud were committed, including phony advances in pay,

romance scams, and the COVID-19 funding hoax. A "money mule" company involves

transferring unlawfully obtained funds on behalf of others. Money mules' services are often

compensated.

According to the indictment, Chabot established up more than 50 bank accounts as part of the

scheme and then used those accounts to move money abroad. After an examination, some

accounts were canceled and at least 15 institutions personally contacted Chabot that the accounts

were being closed because of fraud, policy violations, or other known abuse. Many bank

accounts belonging to Chabot were shut down, but she proceeded to create new ones so that she

could continue to take money from fraudulent schemes involving Americans. Ten percent of the

unlawful money put in Chabot's bank accounts was paid to her as compensation. When
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everything was said and done, the remaining funds would be sent to Dubai, UAE, where they

would be invested.