Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
A Montana man has been convicted of involvement in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. The verdict was reached after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on February 26, 2025.
Randall V. Rule, aged 73 and formerly from Kalispell, Montana, was found guilty on all counts presented against him. Acting U.S. Attorney McGlothin emphasized the commitment to pursue financial crime cases vigorously: “We will not stand by as our citizens are victimized by financial crimes and their life savings are stolen,” he stated.
The case saw collaboration between various agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service and the Eastern District of Texas' U.S. Attorney’s Office. Resident Agent in Charge Brad Schley remarked on the successful partnership: “This case culminates the work of a great team of investigators and prosecutors that works tirelessly to protect the financial infrastructure of the United States.”
Rule was indicted alongside Gregory C. Nysewander from Irmo, South Carolina, on November 16, 2022. Both were charged with money laundering conspiracy and violations related to the Bank Secrecy Act.
The indictment detailed how Rule and Nysewander allegedly laundered proceeds from fraudulent schemes such as romance scams and real estate scams through cryptocurrency transactions involving foreign and domestic co-conspirators.
False representations were reportedly made to conceal these activities from authorities, including misleading descriptions for wire transfers like "loan repayments" or "advertising." During this period, over $2.4 million was laundered.
Rule could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each money laundering charge and up to five years for conspiring to violate the Bank Secrecy Act at sentencing. Sentencing will be based on guidelines set forth by Congress but determined ultimately by court considerations following a presentence investigation.
This case is part of Operation Crypto Runner under OCDETF (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces), which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening national security through coordinated law enforcement efforts.
Investigation into this matter was conducted by both the U.S. Secret Service and U.S Postal Inspection Service while prosecution duties were handled by Assistant U.S Attorneys D Ryan Locker Dustin Farahnak Nathaniel C Kummerfeld
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