 |
|
United States Attorney’s Office FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2007 Jim Rybicki
|
|
Four Northern Virginia Individuals Charged with Gambling, Money Laundering, and Related Crimes
(Alexandria, VA) – Raj Kumar Bansal, age 63, of Annandale, Virginia; Rajan Harjani, age 48, of Springfield, Virginia; Sharon Rudolph Connelly, age 66, of Springfield, Virginia; and, Donovan Anthony Moncrieffe, age 39, of Alexandria, Virginia, were indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on charges of gambling, money laundering, and related crimes. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office; Charles Pine, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and, Colonel David M. Rohrer, Chief of Police, Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department, made the announcement today after Bansal, Harjani, and Connelly were arrested yesterday evening. Initial appearances were held today before United States Magistrate Judge Barry R. Poretz. Bansal is scheduled for a detention hearing tomorrow before United States Magistrate Judge Theresa C. Buchanan.
According to court documents, Bansal and Harjani are charged with operating an illegal gambling business that dates back to 1993. All four defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering for their activity during that time. The money laundering charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison plus a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property. Bansal was also charged with extortion, robbery, conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and witness tampering. The robbery, extortion, and marijuana conspiracy charges each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison. The witness tampering charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and the marijuana possession with intent to distribute charge carries a maximum of 5 years in prison. Bansal, Harjani, and Connelly, the former Director of the Office of Inspector and Auditor at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, were arrested and indicted last year in Fairfax County on racketeering, gambling and money laundering charges.
Court documents also show that the United States is seeking forfeiture of approximately $7.8 million and the assets of several businesses alleged to have been involved, including: Poto, LLC, R & B Holding, and, Pro Lenders, LLC, which have post office box addresses and a registered agent in Alexandria, Virginia; Executive Loans, LLC, located in Springfield, Virginia; Friendly Trading Services, doing business as "Latino African Market," located in Arlington, Virginia; and, Alpine Moving and Storage, Alpine Transfer, Inc., and Premier Transport located in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Fairfax County Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Grooms and Edmund Power are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.