USA – international fraud: An American woman originally from the Dominican Republic sentenced to 24 months in prison

Washington, May 2, 2026 – Lorena Perez-Herrera, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from the Dominican Republic, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for her role in a large-scale business email compromise (Business Email Compromise – BEC) fraud and money laundering scheme, U.S. authorities said.

She will also be required to pay more than $1.4 million in restitution to the victims, primarily a Montana school district. According to a statement released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Perez-Herrera, 29, who lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, took part in an international conspiracy that laundered nearly $1.5 million in proceeds from wire fraud.

The plot, which ran from 2020 through November 2023, targeted U.S. entities such as government agencies, environmental organizations, medical centers, transportation companies, universities, counties, and above all a Montana school district.

Judge Matthew J. Maddox of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland handed down the sentence on May 1, 2026. Perez-Herrera pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. She will also serve one year of supervised release after her incarceration.

ICE special agents worked closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to dismantle this fraud network.

Perez-Herrera, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is facing repeated calls on social media for possible denaturalization and deportation once her sentence is served, although ICE’s official statement does not mention such a measure.

Born in the Dominican Republic, she obtained U.S. citizenship through naturalization. Her portrait, released by ICE, shows a 29-year-old woman with a serious expression, often associated with federal money laundering investigations.

Editorial staff