A California Corporation Pled Guilty
to Charges of Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting
Business
United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt
announced that Easy Moon, Inc., a California corporation
with businesses in San Diego County, pled guilty yesterday
in federal court in San Diego to a charge of Operating
an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, in violation
of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960.
18 U.S.C. Section 1960 is a statute designed
to provide the government with more control over monetary
transactions. It requires that financial institutions,
which can include check cashers and other money exchange
operations, be properly licensed by either the State
of California, the federal government, or, in some
cases, both. According to court documents, Easy Moon,
Inc. operated convenience stores in San Diego County
that offered various money services, including check-cashing,
wire transfers, and the issuance of money orders. Easy
Moon, Inc., therefore, operated “financial institutions,” which
were required to be licensed by the U.S. Department
of Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
Easy Moon
did not have such licenses. As part of the plea, the
corporation also agreed to forfeit monies seized in
the course of the investigation.
This is the first such charge brought
in the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case No. 08cr2959
Easy
Moon, Inc.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960 – Unlicensed
Money Transmitting Business
Maximum penalties: 5 years’ incarceration;
2-3 years’ supervised release; $100 penalty assessment;
$250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
