Louisville residents charged with money laundering conspiracy | News

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three Louisville residents with conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, obstruction of government proceedings and falsifying documents related to a federal investigation.

According to the indictment, Joseph Lanham, 41, Laura Lanham, 64, and Richard “Ricky” Elbe II, 43, conspired between April 2016 and May 2023 to launder the proceeds of Joseph Lanham’s activities related to with drug trafficking, mainly through real estate transactions and other large purchases with drug money.

Joseph Lanham also faces four counts of money laundering in connection with conducting transactions worth more than $10,000 involving proceeds of crime, one count of obstructing a governmental proceeding, namely an administrative forfeiture proceeding, and one count of falsifying documents related to a federal investigation. Laura Lanham also faces money laundering charges for conducting transactions worth more than $10,000 in criminal proceeds. All three had their first appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge.

If convicted, Joseph Lanham faces a maximum of 85 years in prison, Laura Lanham could face up to 30 years in prison and Elble faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

A federal district court judge will sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no possibility of parole in the federal system.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division with assistance from the Jeffersontown Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Kentucky State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne E. Keel and Erin G. McKenzie are prosecuting this case.

These activities are part of the operations of the federal Organized Crime Task Force (OCDETF). The goal of the OCDETF is to identify, dismantle, and dismantle top-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.