AUGUSTA, Ga. – A resident of Saluda has received a federal court sentence following her guilty plea to charges of money laundering, as disclosed by the U.S. Department of Justice this Monday.
Laura Frantz, aged 62, admitted guilt to the charge of money laundering and has been sentenced to 27 months in prison. In addition to her prison term, she is required to pay $138,673 in restitution and will be subject to three years of supervised release once her incarceration concludes.
Court documents reveal that from 2020 to 2023, Frantz was involved in a business email compromise scheme in Richmond County. She knowingly handled financial transactions with funds illegally obtained from victim companies, which were then funneled into bank accounts under her control.
The FBI highlighted that Frantz was not entitled to these funds and had been cautioned several times that her actions might constitute criminal behavior. Despite these warnings, she continued to withdraw and use the illicitly acquired money.
Matt Ploskunak, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent at the FBI’s Augusta office, emphasized the agency’s commitment to cracking down on such illegal activities, stating, “The FBI and its partners will relentlessly pursue individuals looking to illegally move funds for illicit purposes. Anyone engaged in this type of criminal activity should realize they are not outside of the reach of law enforcement.”