Money Mule Scheme Leads to Prison Term in Illinois

EAST ST. LOUIS — A Fayette County woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in a foreign-based scam conspiracy that defrauded victims of tens of thousands of dollars through identity theft and money laundering.

Elizabeth Conrad, 55, of Ramsey, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. She was ordered to pay $78,480.26 in restitution to the victims.

According to court documents, Conrad acted as a “money mule” from 2019 through 2022, receiving packages at her home containing cash, checks, gift cards, and electronics obtained fraudulently from victims. She repackaged and sent these items to co-conspirators, knowingly facilitating the laundering of illicit proceeds. On two occasions, Conrad also received deposits from fraudulently acquired Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans into her bank account and attempted to deposit checks and wire cryptocurrency funds to others involved in the scheme.

“Foreign-based fraud conspiracies rely on money mules residing within the U.S. to receive their illicit proceeds and distance themselves from prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Elizabeth Conrad knowingly supported the fraud conspiracy, ignored multiple warnings from law enforcement and laundered proceeds from victims.”

Conrad and her co-conspirators used victims’ identities to obtain at least 69 fraudulent debit cards, which Conrad received at her Ramsey residence. She used the cards to make withdrawals and charges totaling more than $30,000 in the Ramsey and Vandalia areas.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use,” said Mary Johnson, acting inspector in charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable.”

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service St. Louis Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.

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