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Pablo Estrada, 27, of Florence, previously pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. He was sentenced on Wednesday, June 12.
In addition to the prison term, Estrada was ordered to pay restitution of $4.21 million.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through January 2023, Estrada received money from victims of various scams. One of them is a lottery scam – an advance fee fraud that begins with victims receiving an unexpected notification that they have won large sums of money in a lottery, but must pay various fees and expenses before their winnings can be released to them.
Estrada deposited the money into various bank accounts that he maintained for purposes of receiving criminal proceeds. He transferred the funds to other bank accounts, keeping a percentage for himself. Estrada laundered more than $4 million in this manner.
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