"Bitcoin Money Launderer Ian Freeman Ordered to Pay $3.5M Restitution to Scam Victims"
Ian Freeman, a New Hampshire libertarian activist and radio show host, has been ordered to pay over $3.5 million in restitution to 29 primarily elderly victims of romance scams and internet fraud, which he laundered using bitcoin. Freeman, who was sentenced to eight years in federal prison and fined $40,000, also forfeited assets including bitcoin and U.S. currency. Prosecutors described his actions as "the worst kind of crime," involving charging exorbitant fees to exchange dollars for cryptocurrency and using churches to receive money from victims under the guise of donations. Freeman's lawyer expressed satisfaction with the restitution order and stated that they will focus on appealing his conviction.