Gretna Couple Sentenced for Conducting an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business
2024-11-06 · Press release
Summary: Kenneth Breyer, age 75, and Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer, age 74, both of Gretna, Nebraska, were sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business.
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kenneth Breyer, age 75, and Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer, age 74, both of Gretna, Nebraska, were sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced both Kenneth and Elaine Breyer to five years of probation. Chief Judge Rossiter also ordered the Breyers to pay $55,000 in restitution.
An investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service determined that in early 2023, an elderly victim, who resided in Louisville Kentucky, was falsely informed by an unknown individual that she had won $18.5 million in the Publisher’s Clearing House. The unknown individual directed the victim to send $100,000 to various addresses for the purported reason of pre-paying taxes and fees for her winnings to be released. The victim was instructed by the unknown individual to send $70,000 of those proceeds to the Breyers.
Between February 3, 2023, and February 13, 2023, the Breyers received three separate mailings from the victim which contained payments totaling $70,000. The Breyers then transmitted $55,000 of the victim’s funds to others involved in the fraudulent scheme who were located outside of Nebraska. The remaining $15,000 was seized by law enforcement from the Breyers before the funds could be distributed.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
- district_office
- District of Nebraska
- usa_name
- Susan Lehr
- event_type
- sentencing
- judge_name
- Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.
- judge_title
- Chief United States District Judge
- case_number
- max_penalty_text
- sentence_summary
- five years of probation and $55,000 in restitution
- money_amounts
- $55,000, $100,000, $70,000, $15,000
- crypto_assets
- statutes_json
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- {}
- press_release_url
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/gretna-couple-sentenced-conducting-unlicensed-money-transmitting-business
- extras_json
| participant_id | name | role | title | organization | location | age | nationality | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1030 | Susan Lehr | prosecutor | United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office | Nebraska | |||
| 1031 | Kenneth Breyer | defendant | Gretna, Nebraska | 75 | sentenced to five years of probation | |||
| 1032 | Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer | defendant | Gretna, Nebraska | 74 | sentenced to five years of probation | |||
| 1033 | Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. | judge | Chief United States District Judge | U.S. District Court | Omaha, Nebraska |
| agency_id | agency_name | abbreviation | role | office_location | agents_mentioned | contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 680 | United States Postal Inspection Service | investigation | Conducted the investigation into the fraudulent scheme involving the victim's funds and determined the details of the case. |
| charge_id | charge_description | statute | severity | max_penalty | fine_amount | defendant | status | participant_id | cl_docket_id | count_num | is_1960 | verified_1960 | source | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 510 | conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business | Kenneth Breyer | sentenced | 1 | enrichment | 2026-09-16T19:45:54+00:00 | ||||||||
| 511 | conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business | Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer | sentenced | 1 | enrichment | 2026-09-16T19:45:54+00:00 | ||||||||
| 2481 | unlicensed money transmitting business | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:54+00:00 |
| fin_id | action_type | amount | currency | description | asset_type | defendant | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135 | restitution | $55,000 | USD | Payment ordered to the victim | cash | Kenneth Breyer and Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer | ordered |
| 136 | seizure | $15,000 | USD | Funds seized by law enforcement before distribution | cash | Kenneth Breyer and Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer | completed |
No data.
| quote_id | quote_text | speaker_name | speaker_title | speaker_organization | quote_type | context | significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 277 | Kenneth Breyer, age 75, and Elaine (a.k.a. Edith) Breyer, age 74, both of Gretna, Nebraska, were sentenced on November 6, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business. | Susan Lehr | United States Attorney | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Official announcement of sentencing | Formal declaration of the couple's conviction and sentencing by the U.S. Attorney |
| theme_id | theme_name | description | significance | related_statutes | geographic_scope | temporal_aspects | stakeholders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 539 | Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business | The Breyers operated an unlicensed business that received and transmitted funds from a victim's fraudulent scheme. | Operating without a license enabled illegal financial transactions tied to fraud. | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | International | Recent development | Law enforcement, Financial institutions, Victims |
| 540 | Fraudulent Scheme | An elderly victim was deceived into sending $100,000 under false pretenses of winning a lottery prize. | The fraud formed the basis for the money laundering and unlicensed business charges. | 18 U.S.C. § 1341, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 | National | Recent development | Victims, Unknown fraudsters, Law enforcement |
| 541 | Money Laundering | The Breyers transmitted $55,000 of the victim’s funds to conceal their illegal origin. | Facilitated the concealment of illicit proceeds from fraud. | 18 U.S.C. § 1956 | International | Recent development | Law enforcement, Financial institutions, Victims |
| 542 | Restitution and Sentencing | The court ordered five years of probation and $55,000 restitution to the victim. | Reflects legal consequences and victim compensation. | 18 U.S.C. § 3663A | Local | Recent development | Court, Breyers, Victims |
| 543 | Elderly Victim Exploitation | The fraud targeted an elderly individual, exploiting her vulnerability. | Highlights susceptibility of seniors to financial scams. | Local | Recent development | Victims, Advocacy groups | |
| 544 | Law Enforcement Investigation | The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. | Critical in uncovering and prosecuting the fraudulent activities. | National | Recent development | Law enforcement |
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