Danville Resident Charged In Money Laundering Scheme
OAKLAND, Calif. - Anthony Keslinke was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday and charged with money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Jay Fitzpatrick, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.
The Indictment alleges that between August of 2013 and February of 2014, Keslinke met with an undercover agent on multiple occasions purporting to be a drug dealer. On five separate occasions, Keslinke accepted a total of $550,000 from the undercover agent. In an attempt to conceal the true source of the funds, Keslinke repeatedly deposited the money received from the undercover agent into business bank accounts under Keslinke's control. Keslinke then attempted to launder the money by wiring it from his business bank accounts to an account controlled by the undercover agent. During the investigation, Keslinke routinely kept 8-10% of the money provided to him from the undercover agent as a fee for his services.
Keslinke was arrested on Feb. 10, 2014, at his residence in Danville, Calif. According to the Indictment, that same day, agents seized over $320,000 in cash from Keslinke’s residence and approximately $1.4 million from bank accounts under his control. Keslinke is currently out of custody on a $450,000, bond pending trial. Keslinke’s next court appearance is on June 5, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Honorable Kandis A. Westmore, Magistrate Court Judge in Oakland for arraignment on the Indictment.
The maximum statutory penalty for each count of money laundering alleged in the indictment is 20 years imprisonment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jeanne Carstensen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service. The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and Livermore Police Department have also provided assistance during the investigation. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
