District of New Jersey | Businessman Charged with Conspiring to Personal Unlicensed Income Transmitting Small business

NEWARK, N.J. – A businessman and former resident of Utah has been charged with illegally operating an unlicensed funds transmitting company, U.S. Lawyer Philip R. Sellinger announced these days.

Christopher James Scanlon, 43, initially from Utah and now residing in the United Kingdom, is charged by complaint with 1 count of conspiring to manage and personal an unlicensed funds transmitting company. Scanlon was arrested at Miami International Airport these days 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 created in court:

Scanlon was the president, chief executive officer, and founder of the brands Aurae Way of life and Club Swann. From as early as 2015 by means of 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 funds transmitting company to give fiat and cryptocurrency monetary solutions to clients of Aurae Way of life. Scanlon served as a buyer service representative for many higher-net-worth Aurae Way of life clients. He generally communicated with clients about monetary transactions working with encrypted messaging applications and directed the AU Entities to conduct monetary transactions for clients by means of U.S.-primarily based banks and cryptocurrency corporations. Scanlon operated Aurae Way of life through this time devoid of appropriately registering as a funds transmitting company with the Economic 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 acquire 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 Particular Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and particular agents of the U.S. Attorney’s workplace, beneath the path of Particular Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation top 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.