Samuel D. Marcus, a Logistics Specialist with the U.S. Department of Defense, has been arrested and charged with laundering millions of dollars for a group of Nigerian-based scammers, U.S. authorities announced.
United States Attorney David Metcalf said Marcus was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, six counts of illegal monetary transactions, and one count of money laundering – illegal concealment.
“The defendant allegedly served as a money mule for sophisticated Nigerian fraudsters, receiving, concealing, and transferring millions of dollars in stolen funds,” Metcalf said. “These schemes targeted victims across the United States and involved a variety of fraud types, including romance fraud, cyber fraud, and business email compromise.”
According to the indictment, from July 2023 to December 2025, Marcus maintained direct contact with fraudsters using aliases like “Rachel Jude” and “Ned McMurray.” Under their direction, he allegedly conducted rapid financial transactions to convert stolen funds into cryptocurrency and move the money into foreign accounts.
“Marcus knowingly misled his financial institutions and law enforcement, sending fraudulent invoices to make illicit transactions appear legitimate,” Metcalf added.
Authorities allege Marcus continued laundering funds even after FBI agents warned him that money passing through his accounts was stolen.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $2 million fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke.
Metcalf emphasized that the charges are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
