Money launderer handling funds stolen from charity jailed

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Hospital-in-Zambia-deprived-of-24k-after-fraud-by-former-Anglia-Ruskin-University-student-Abubakar-Barma-20140624070000.htm?

24 June 2014

Hospital in Zambia 'deprived' of £24k after fraud by former Anglia Ruskin University student Abubakar Barma

Abubakar Barma, 20, born and educated in Nigeria, was involved in a money laundering scheme to defraud Sim UK Ltd, an international Christian organisation which sends missionaries to serve in developing countries.

The problem in getting involved in money laundering, even unwittingly, is that there is a real risk of prison.

“During the course of the trial you insisted that the £23,800 which was put into your bank account came from you knew not where. But afterwards you had made an agreement with someone you only knew as JD, and were told by JD it was a legitimate business transaction. You then transferred it out through your other bank accounts, again solely under the direction of JD.
“It is said on your behalf both that you were not close to the original fraud and you had no idea that the money was being taken from a charity who were intending to use the money for a truck to go to a hospital in Zambia.”

Presumably the jury did not agree. Even more mysteriously the judge added.

Judge Hawkesworth added: “You are a young man of good character.

To some extent the repercussions may well depend on the amount involved and who the money has been stolen from, and the money mule will have no control over the second point, unless he is a part of the fraud.