Sioux Falls man sentenced to more than 11 years in $1.5M money laundering scheme

A Sioux Falls man, described as a co-conspirator and leader in a money laundering scheme that caused a loss of more than $1,500,000 to multiple financial institutions and individuals, was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison Thursday morning inside a federal courthouse in Sioux Falls.

Antyon Hamilton Hogan Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and must also pay $563,127.06 in impacted financial institutions and a $100 assessment.

On Thursday, Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri, who prosecuted the case, argued for a number of enhancements, including that Hogan's acts were sophisticated in nature and he was in possession of a dangerous weapon in connection with the offense.

From 2020 to April 2022, fraudulent or fake checks were created or by Antyon or another conspirator, Marvin Williams, or the checks were stolen from individuals or mailboxes, according to a key factual basis statement signed by Antyon’s younger brother, Keyvon Hogan, who served as a middle man in the scheme and was sentenced in May to 23 months in prison.

“Mr. Hogan and his co-conspirators engaged in a variety of financial crimes that included stealingchecks from mailboxes and bank accounts,” IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent inCharge Thomas F. Murdock, St. Louis Field Office said in a news release. “The diligent pursuit of this group of thieves by IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners disrupted the scheme and brought them to justice.”

Those checks were then deposited into bank accounts, which were then accessed in financial applications, like CashApp and moved to Antyon’s account, Corey Vickery, an IRS Financial Crimes Investigator testified at Thursday’s hearing. Fraud checks were also withdrawn as cash and spent on personal property, according to a January factual statement basis, signed by Kevyon.

More: Fraud scheme participant sentenced to 23 months

Keyvon and a former girlfriend of Antyton had funds moved to their accounts on the app then moved to Antyon’s account, as another layer to the illegal activity. The girlfriend also told the IRS agent that Antyon had taken over her bank account and debit at one point.

Jeremy Jehangiri said Antyon using CashApp and other financial applications showed how sophisticated in nature the scheme was. U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier ruled that the case met the burden.

After obtaining an arrest and search warrant, authorities set up an operation on April 6, 2022 to arrest Hamilton with a cooperating individual at the 85th and Minnesota Avenue Walmart in southern Sioux Falls, Vickery testified. In aircraft footage shown at the hearing, a pursuit then started in the area near 85th and Western Avenue. The car entered a field, where officers observed an object thrown out the passenger window.

The pursuit lasted approximately 10 minutes throughout Sioux Falls, according to testimony by the IRS agent at the hearing. And when authorities searched the vehicle, they found four credit cards that didn’t belong to Hogan, Vickery said.

The next day, investigators returned to the scene and discovered a handgun Antyon threw out of the car window during the pursuit, according to video shown at the sentencing hearing.

After his arrest, investigators seized his phone and found multiple photos, including stacks of cash, bank receipts, handguns and Snapchats referencing the scheme which were admitted to the court as evidence.

Another enhancing factor included possession of weapons in connection to the offenses. While conducting interviews, Vickery said a common theme throughout was Antyon carrying weapons.

In testimony from an ex-girlfriend, Vickery said the ex-girlfriend reported Antyon wanted her to deposit a fraud check. When she denied, he hit her in a “domestic violence situation,” and she told investigators a gun was in the driver’s door at the time. At the hearing, prosecutors showed exhibits that depicted guns by large wads of cash.

In defense, Antyon’s attorney argued he never threatened anyone with a gun.

At the sentencing, Jehangiri said the scheme was driven by greed and status and asked the court to impose a sentence of 144 months, or 12 years.

“When the gig was up, he fled. He could’ve killed someone … He’s lucky he didn’t,” Jehangiri said.

Shortly before the sentencing, in open court, Schreier alluded that Hogan got the idea for the scheme from "Catch Me If You Can," a crime movie based on true events about Frank Abagnale Jr., a conman who cashed fake Pan Am paychecks.

Antyon told the court he can do better in life and he’ll never put himself in the position he finds himself in again.

Prior to the sentencing, Schreier called the case the “biggest and most complex scheme she’s seen.”

“Your actions have impacted those people … Along with those banks that ended up holding the bag,” Schreier told Hogan before handing down the sentence.

Financial institutions impacted in the scheme included, but were not limited to, First Premier Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Levo Credit Union, First National Bank, First Bank and Trust, U.S. Bank, American Bank and Trust, American State Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pima Federal Credit Union, JP Morgan Chase and Security National Bank of South Dakota, court documents said.

“This office will continue to pursue justice on behalf of the multiple individuals and financial institutions adversely impacted by these crimes. The sentences handed down in this case demonstrate the serious nature of these crimes and reflect the hard work and cooperation of our state and federal law enforcement partners," U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell said in a news release.

Antyon was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service, according to court documents.

Cameron Terrill Hardiman, 43, was also sentenced to four years in federal prison in connection to the scheme followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $564,127.06 in restitution. Four other were previously sentenced in the case.

• Marvin Antuan Williams, age 32, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison

• Keyvon Hamilton Hogan, age 22, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison

• Emilio Herrera, age 22, was sentenced to 2 years of probation

• Giovanni Hamilton Hogan, age 23, was sentenced to 2 years of probation

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, Sioux Falls Police Department, U.S. Postal Service and South Dakota Highway Patrol.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls man sentenced to 11 years in $1.5 money laundering scheme