ORLANDO, FL — Six people have been arrested, all charged with charges related to what the Florida Attorney General calls complex criminal operations.
Attorney General Ashley Moody has said a 17-year-old Orlando boy is behind an elaborate scheme involving cryptocurrencies, the dark web and guns.
Moody and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Justin Vassell used cryptocurrencies to withdraw money from the dark web and laundered money around Orlando.
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According to investigative sources, Vassell used cryptocurrency to buy a bunch of IDs stolen from the dark web, then opened a credit card in his name and sold 350,000, including guns and dozens of packs of ammunition. He said he bought a dollar worth of goods.
Investigators say the items were later sold to pawn shops around Orlando.
Earlier this week, Vassell and her mother, Jacqueline Vassell, were arrested in Osceola County.
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Lawrence Dority was arrested in Orange County and has been out on bail since May last year on second-degree murder charges.
Doriti is accused of murdering former Magic player Adrian Payne.
FDLE had to track down three other suspects from all over the country.
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Justin’s sisters Shannon Vassell and Mark Williams were arrested in Suwannee County, Georgia.
Deonte Benezhan was arrested in Lorain County, Ohio.
FDLE said the group had more than 70 employees and 10 online businesses.
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All six have been charged with racketeering, money laundering and extortion, while Vassell has also been charged with grand theft.
If convicted, the 17-year-old could face up to 135 years in prison.
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