New York man sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering conspiracy

<p class="text-align-justify">ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering.</p><p class="text-align-justify">According to court documents, Abu Khamza, 35, pled guilty in May 2026 to conspiring to launder into cryptocurrency over $572,000 in what he believed to be drug money in the belief that such cryptocurrency would be transmitted to mujahideen in Syria.&nbsp; Khamza believed that the funds were generated by the illicit sale of prescription drugs for which the pharmacy owner could sell legitimately for $8 but sell without a prescription for $500.&nbsp; Evidence introduced into Court showed that, besides laundering cash into crypto, Khamza also engaged in extortion, cargo theft, auto theft, pandemic relief fraud, and check fraud.</p><p class="text-align-justify">Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael A. Burgwald, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.&nbsp;</p><p class="text-align-justify">The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, FBI New York and Philadelphia Field Offices, and New York County District Attorney's Office assisted in the investigation.</p><p class="text-align-justify">Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques Rio Singer-Emery, a Trial Attorney for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, prosecuted the case.</p><p class="text-align-justify">Related court documents and information are located on the website of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov">District Court</a> for the Eastern District of Virginia or on&nbsp;<a href="https://pcl.uscourts.gov">PACER</a> by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-287.</p>