PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Delaware County woman pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy that prosecutors say laundered more than $7.2 million in proceeds tied to pandemic relief fraud and business email compromise schemes.
Christina Williams, 31, of Drexel Hill, entered a guilty plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Federal prosecutors alleged Williams and her mother, Rosemarie Dixon, used sham businesses and a network of bank accounts to move fraud proceeds through financial institutions in the Philadelphia region between January 2020 and April 2021.
Court filings state Williams and others registered a New Jersey company, Williams Royal Real Estate LLC, in March 2020 with Williams listed as owner. Prosecutors alleged the business had no legitimate operations or employees and was used to open multiple business bank accounts.
Authorities alleged fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration directed proceeds into accounts controlled by Williams.
Prosecutors also alleged Dixon and others created another shell company, Dixon Delish Kitchen LLC, which authorities say similarly lacked legitimate operations. According to court documents, proceeds from business email compromise fraud schemes were deposited into accounts tied to that company.
Federal authorities said Williams, Dixon, and others rapidly transferred money among business and personal accounts and through additional sham entities to conceal the source and ownership of the funds.
The conspiracy involved $7,171,730 in fraud proceeds that participants allegedly laundered or attempted to launder, prosecutors stated. Court filings also alleged Williams retained part of the proceeds for personal spending and cash withdrawals.
Dixon, 54, pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to commit money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced alongside Williams on September 9.
Williams faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $14,343,460.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service, and the U.S. Navy Criminal Investigative Service. Prosecutors Nancy E. Potts and S. Chandler Harris are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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