Manaseh Mintah

Introduction

Manaseh Mintah, 43, of Dracut, Massachusetts, was convicted on September 28, 2026 of one count of money laundering conspiracy, three counts of money laundering, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. The guilty verdicts came in a case arising from internet-enabled romance scams that stole from victims across the United States.

Background Information

Mintah was convicted for his role in a multi-year conspiracy to launder money that was stolen from victims across the United States as a part of a series of internet-enabled romance scams. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mintah laundered money sent to him directly by victims of the scams through numerous bank accounts opened in his own name, and also under the name of Dazionking LLC, a shell business entity that he formed to launder money.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Convicted. On September 28, 2026, a federal jury in Newark convicted Mintah of laundering money stolen from victims of internet-enabled romance scams across the United States.

Mintah would then move these victim proceeds from the Dazionking accounts and his own personal account to coconspirators through wire transfers, cash withdrawals, and other means. As part of the scheme, he received and transferred at least approximately $1.2 million, knowing that the transactions were for the purpose of disguising or hiding the proceeds of criminal activity. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all five counts after the two-week trial before Judge Salas in Newark federal court.

Public Reaction and Consequences

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey, and the FBI Cleveland Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Joshua J. DelManzo in Cleveland, Ohio, with the investigation leading to the conviction. Frazer also thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Jennifer Piovesan in Newark, as well as special agents of the HSI Detroit Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Piercynski in Cleveland, Ohio, for their assistance in the case. Frazer said, “Cyber-enabled fraud schemes take advantage of vulnerable Americans, especially older Americans, stealing their hard-earned life savings and destroying families’ financial security.” Roddy said the FBI Newark Joint Organized Crime Task Force works to disrupt transnational groups and protect Americans being targeted from losing their life savings. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit, and Sean Nadel of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark. Mintah was defended at trial by Michael V. Calabro, Esq., and Georgina Pallitto, Esq.

Current Status

Mintah has been convicted by the jury but not yet sentenced. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2027, before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court, where his trial took place.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The conviction means Mintah faces the statutory penalties attached to the counts when he appears for sentencing in March 2027. The money laundering conspiracy charge and one of the money laundering charges carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, two of the money laundering charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and the operating an unlicensed money transmitting business charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. The money laundering charges each carry a potential fine of up to $500,000, and the unlicensed money transmitting business charge carries a potential fine of up to $250,000. The sentence to be imposed will fix how much of that exposure Mintah must serve, resting on the jury’s finding that he received and transferred at least approximately $1.2 million while knowing the transactions were meant to disguise or hide the proceeds of criminal activity.

Sources

• U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, “Massachusetts Man Convicted of Laundering $1.2M from Internet-Enabled Romance Scams” — source