VENTURA, Calif. – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today the arrest and extradition to Ventura County of Abdoul Aziz Bah (DOB 05/31/94), also known as (aka) Richard Anderson, of Stockbridge, Georgia. Bah has been charged with three felonies, including one count of receiving stolen property, and two counts of money laundering. Bah pled not guilty at today’s arraignment. On March 1, 2023, a Newbury Park family was defrauded on their attempted purchase of a local home by inadvertently following bogus wire instructions which directed them to wire over $200,000 to an account allegedly under the control of Bah.
While using the false name Richard Anderson, Bah allegedly created multiple false limited liability corporations (LLCs) for the sole purpose of receiving, then laundering large amounts of cash stolen from the real estate transaction. Bah is accused of separating the stolen proceeds into smaller amounts and transferring funds to bank accounts under the control of codefendant, Jasmine Shante Faniel (DOB 05/09/85), aka Teresa Dennis, of Conyers, Georgia. Faniel, like Bah, allegedly used false LLCs to open multiple accounts at separate banks in Georgia for the sole purpose of receiving, then laundering large amounts of cash stolen from real estate transactions. “We are committed to investigating real estate fraud and criminally prosecuting money laundering schemes and bogus fronts for ill-gotten gains,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko.
Bah was arrested on June 4, 2024, by the United States Customs and Border Protection at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and released to the custody of the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office. On June 19, 2024, Bah was extradited back to Ventura County by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit. Codefendant Faniel is wanted on a $200,000 warrant for her arrest, previously issued on May 23, 2024, by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Derek Malan.
Bah is currently in custody with bail set at $300,000. A bail review hearing is scheduled for June 25, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court. This case involved extensive investigation by the District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit and is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Dominic Kardum.