The state law enforcement division said it dates back to August 2021 and involved a car dealership in the Midlands region.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced charges this week against six people tied to what the agency said was a money laundering scheme dating back to August 2021.
Warrants shared from the agency showed the scheme centered on employees at a car dealership in the Midlands region obtaining car loans fraudulently and splitting the funds. The loans obtained through the dealership came from credit unions.
SLED’s warrants showed 41-year-old LaKesha Washington of Lexington County, South Carolina, reportedly deposited checks that were made payable to the dealership into her own accounts. She also reportedly falsely claimed she’d inherit $10 million and purchase the dealership from the estate of the previous owner, who died in October 2021. One warrant suggests she diverted about $609,000 to herself between October 2021 and April 2022.
Washington is also accused of buying a 2021 GMC Yukon from CarMax for herself for about $89,000 using funds from the dealership, but she registered the car in her name. She also reportedly purchased a 2021 Chevy Corvette for about $43,000 and gave the car to another employee who was supposedly in on the scheme, disguising it as an employee bonus.
SLED said the scheme expanded to include more people by 2023. Washington and five alleged co-conspirators all now face a slew of charges.
Washington herself is charged with four counts of conducting financial transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity, four counts of criminal conspiracy, three counts of obtaining a signature or property under false pretenses (value of $10,000 or more), two counts of breach of trust with fraudulent intent (value of $10,000 or more) and two counts of defrauding a federally chartered or insured financial institution. She was charged on November 5, 2024.
The remaining suspects and their charges follow:
- Malik d’Odde Shropshire, 53, of Charlotte
- Conducting financial transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity
- Two counts of defrauding a federally chartered or insured financial institution
- Two counts of criminal conspiracy
- Charged on June 2, 2025
- Floyd James Hargrove, 55, of Lexington County, South Carolina
- Three counts of obtaining a signature or property under false pretenses (value of $10,000 or more)
- Two counts of criminal conspiracy
- Conducting financial transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity
- Forgery (value of $10,000 or more)
- Charged on November 5, 2024
- Richard J. Washington, 41, of Lexington County, South Carolina
- Three counts of criminal conspiracy
- Defrauding a federally chartered or insured financial institution
- Conducting financial transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity
- Charged on November 5, 2025
- Requel Latrice Jones, 30, of Charlotte
- Criminal conspiracy
- Conducting financial transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity
- Defrauding a federally chartered or insured financial institution
- Filing a false police report of a felony violation
- Charged on November 21, 2024
- Donnie Leon Connor, 53, of Charlotte
- Criminal conspiracy
- Defrauding a federally chartered or insured financial institution
- Charged on December 3, 2024
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