NEWARK, N.J. – A businessman and former resident of Utah has been charged with illegally operating an unlicensed dollars transmitting small business, U.S. Lawyer Philip R. Sellinger announced nowadays.
Christopher James Scanlon, 43, initially from Utah and now residing in the United Kingdom, is charged by complaint with one particular count of conspiring to manage and personal an unlicensed dollars transmitting small business. Scanlon was arrested at Miami International Airport nowadays and is anticipated to have his initial look in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Friday.
According to documents filed in this case and statements produced in court:
Scanlon was the president, chief executive officer, and founder of the brands Aurae Life-style and Club Swann. From as early as 2015 via 2019, Scanlon controlled a series of legal entities – PMA Media Group Inc. AU Card LLC AU Card Ltd., and Nvayo Ltd., (collectively, the “AU Entities”) – that he operated as a dollars transmitting small business to present fiat and cryptocurrency monetary solutions to consumers of Aurae Life-style. Scanlon served as a client service representative for a number of higher-net-worth Aurae Life-style consumers. He frequently communicated with consumers about monetary transactions making use of encrypted messaging applications and directed the AU Entities to conduct monetary transactions for consumers via U.S.-primarily based banks and cryptocurrency organizations. Scanlon operated Aurae Life-style throughout this time without having appropriately registering as a dollars transmitting small business with the Monetary Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Division.
The conspiracy count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary achieve to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Lawyer Sellinger credited particular agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, beneath the path of Specific Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and particular agents of the U.S. Attorney’s workplace, beneath the path of Specific Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation major to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Hoxie Solano and Sophie E. Reiter of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and till verified guilty.