Indictment: State of South Carolina v. Spencer Anwan Roberts (State Grand Jury, Case No. 2022-GS-47-22)
Summary
A South Carolina State Grand Jury indictment, Case No. 2022-GS-47-22, from a session convened in Columbia on August 16, 2022, charges Spencer Anwan Roberts on four counts in Colleton County. It alleges that on or about February 25, 2021 Roberts obtained $20,000 in Paycheck Protection Program funds by claiming to be a self-employed “Insurance Agency or Brokerage” firm that did not exist, then converted it into cash through withdrawals structured in amounts of less than $10,000. Those facts support counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, money laundering and computer crime. Count Four alleges that from about May 2020 through May 2021 Roberts obtained $24,867 in unemployment insurance from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce by claiming lost employment with Spin’s Car Wash. The indictment bears the name of Attorney General Alan Wilson.
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STATE GRAND JURY OF SOUTH CAROLIN,
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ) Case No. 2022-GS-47-22 G«ANDjURy
)
v. )
SPENCER ANWAN ROBERTS INDICTMENT FOR OBTAINING
PROPERTY BY FALSE PRETENSES,
Defendant. ) MONEY LAUNDERING, COMPUTER
) CRIME, AND FALSE STATEMENT OR
) MISREPRESENTATION (INSURANCE
) FRAUD)
At a session of the State Grand Jury of South Carolina, convened in Columbia,
South Carolina, on August 16, 2022, the State Grand Jurors present upon their oath and
charge as follows:
COUNTONE
OBTAINING SIGNATURE OR PROPERTY BY FALSE PRETENSES
VALUE $10,000 OR MORE
S.C. Code Ann. § 16-13-240(1)
That SPENCER ANWAN ROBERTS did, in Colleton County, on or about February
25, 2021 , by false pretenses or representation obtain the signature of a person to a written
instrument and money or other property from another person, with the intent to cheat or
defraud that person of money or property, to wit:
ROBERTS fraudulently obtained $20,000 in federal funds distributed under the
Paycheck Protection Program by representing himself to be a qualified business and self-
employed “Insurance Agency or Brokerage" firm. No such firm existed, nor had
ROBERTS ever independently operated any such business. ROBERTS then converted
the funds provided through the program into cash through online banking transfers and
withdrawals structured in amounts of less than $1 0,000 so as to conceal the source of his
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funds and not cause financial institutions to report the transactions to authorities as
required by law.
All in violation of section 16-13-240 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, and such
conduct involving a violation of the South Carolina Anti-Money Laundering Act, or a crime
related to a violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act; and such conduct also involving
a crime involving computer crimes, or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit a crime
involving computer crimes; and such conduct also involving and arising out of and in
connection with a crime involving narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances,
and such crime being of a multi-county nature and having transpired and having
significance in more than one county in this state; and such conduct having not been
authorized by law.
Against the peace and dignity of this State and contrary to the law in such case
made and provided.
COUNT TWO
MONEY LAUNDERING
VALUE $20,000 OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN $100,000
S.C. Code Ann. § 35-11-740
That SPENCER ANWAN ROBERTS did, in Colleton County, from on or about
February 25, 2021 , through on or about March 5, 2021 , did conduct financial transactions
with property that he knew was the proceeds of, or was derived directly or indirectly from
the proceeds of, unlawful activity, and he conducted these transactions with the intent to
promote the carrying on of unlawful activity, and while knowing that the transactions were
designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, sources,
ownership, or control of the proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit:
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ROBERTS fraudulently obtained $20,000 in federal funds distributed under the
Paycheck Protection Program by representing himself to be a qualified business and self
employed “Insurance Agency or Brokerage” firm. No such firm existed, nor had
ROBERTS ever independently operated any such business. ROBERTS then converted
the funds provided through the program into cash through online banking transfers and
withdrawals structured in amounts of less than $10,000 so as to conceal the source of his
funds and not cause financial institutions to report the transactions to authorities as
required by law.
All in violation of section 35-1 1-740 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, and such
conduct involving a violation of the South Carolina Anti-Money Laundering Act, or a crime
related to a violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act; and such conduct also involving
a crime involving computer crimes, or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit a crime
involving computer crimes; and such conduct also involving and arising out of and in
connection with a crime involving narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances,
and such crime being of a multi-county nature and having transpired and having
significance in more than one county in this state; and such conduct having not been
authorized by law.
Against the peace and dignity of this State and contrary to the law in such case
made and provided.
Page 3 of 6
COUNT THREE
COMPUTER CRIME
VALUE MORE THAN $10,000
S.C. Code Ann. § 16-16-20
That SPENCER ANWAN ROBERTS, in Colleton County, between from on or
about February 25, 2021, through on or about March 5, 2021, did wilfully, knowingly,
maliciously, and without authorization and for an unauthorized purpose, directly or
indirectly access or cause to be accessed a computer, computer system, or computer
network for the purpose of: devising or executing a scheme or artifice to defraud; obtaining
money, property, or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations,
promises; and committing any crime; to wit:
ROBERTS fraudulently obtained $20,000 in federal funds distributed under the
Paycheck Protection Program by representing himself to be a qualified business and self
employed “Insurance Agency or Brokerage” firm. No such firm existed, nor had
ROBERTS ever independently operated any such business. ROBERTS then converted
the funds provided through the program into cash through online banking transfers in
excess of $10,000, and withdrawals structured in amounts of less than $10,000 so as to
conceal the source of his funds and not cause financial institutions to report the
transactions to authorities as required by law.
All in violation of section 16-16-20 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, and such
conduct involving a violation of the South Carolina Anti-Money Laundering Act, or a crime
related to a violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act; and such conduct also involving
a crime involving computer crimes, or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit a crime
involving computer crimes; and such conduct also involving and arising out of and in
connection with a crime involving narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances,
Page 4 of 6
and such crime being of a multi-county nature and having transpired and having
significance in more than one county in this state; and such conduct having not been
authorized by law.
Against the peace and dignity of this State and contrary to the law in such case
made and provided.
COUNT FOUR
FALSE STATEMENT OR MISREPRESENTATION (INSURANCE FRAUD)
VALUE $10,000 OR MORE
S.C. Code Ann. § 38-55-540(A)(3)
That SPENCER ANWAN ROBERTS did, in Colleton County, from on or about May
2020 through on or about May 2021, with an intent to injure, defraud, and deceive,
knowingly make a false statement and misrepresentation, with the intent of obtaining an
undeserved economic advantage and benefit, in connection with an insurance
transaction; to wit:
ROBERTS fraudulently obtained $24,867 in unemployment insurance from the
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce by representing himself to
have lost employment with “Spin’s Car Wash” due to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. No
such firm existed, nor had ROBERTS ever independently operated any such ongoing
concern. ROBERTS received and was awarded insurance benefits enhanced by both
state and federal funds available during the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic.
ROBERTS used the funds for various and sundry personal expenses, and otherwise
converted it into cash.
All in violation of section 38-55-540 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, and such
conduct involving a violation of the South Carolina Anti-Money Laundering Act, or a crime
Page 5 of 6
related to a violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act; and such conduct also involving
a crime involving computer crimes, or a conspiracy or solicitation to commit a crime
involving computer crimes; and such conduct also involving and arising out of and in
connection with a crime involving narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances,
and such crime being of a multi-county nature and having transpired and having
significance in more than one county in this state; and such conduct having not been
authorized by law.
Against the peace and dignity of this State and contrary to the law in such case
made and provided.
A Bill
REPERSON
ALAN WILSON (scw/jejj)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
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