VENTURA, Calif. – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Abdoul Aziz Bah (DOB 05/31/94), also known as (AKA) Richard Anderson of Stockbridge, Georgia, pled guilty on August 27, 2024, to one felony count of money laundering. He also tendered $5,000 in cash as partial restitution owed to the victims in this case.
In April 2023, while using the false name Richard Anderson, Bah created multiple false limited liability corporations (LLCs) for the sole purpose of receiving and laundering large amounts of cash stolen from real estate transactions. On March 1, 2023, a Newbury Park family was defrauded on their attempted purchase of a local home by inadvertently following fraudulent wire instructions directing them to wire over $200,000 to an account that was actually under the control of Bah, not the victims’ escrow company. Shortly after receiving the victims’ money, Bah separated the stolen proceeds into smaller amounts, transferring the funds to bank accounts allegedly 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 multiple banks in Georgia for the sole purpose of receiving and laundering money stolen from real estate transactions.
Codefendant Faniel was arrested in Georgia on August 1, 2024, and extradited back to Ventura County by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit on August 22, 2024. Faniel is currently in custody at the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $1 million. Her next court date is an early disposition conference scheduled for September 26, 2024.
Bah’s conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit, with valuable assistance from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit who completed the extradition of both defendants back to Ventura County. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Dominic Kardum.
Bah is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2024, at 8:30 am in courtroom 26 of the Ventura County Superior Court where he faces up to three years in jail.
The public should be aware that during a real estate transaction where a buyer is being instructed by an escrow office by email, phone, or text message, to send money via a wire or cashier’s check, you should independently verify the instructions by calling the known escrow agent on that specific transaction to confirm the wire instructions BEFORE sending any funds. Further, you should not reply directly to the email or phone number sending any wire instructions. The public should also be aware it is highly unusual to receive emails or text messages claiming the escrow company you are working with has recently “changed banks.” This should be viewed as highly suspicious. Inquire before you wire!
Case: 2023007215
Defendant Information:
Abdoul Aziz Bah, AKA Richard Anderson
Stockbridge, Georgia
Chargers pled guilty to:
- PC 186.10(a) – Money Laundering