Blue Springs Man Indicted for Money Laundering

KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Blue Springs, Missouri man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for money laundering.

Thomas D. Hutchens, 40, of Blue Springs, was charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Hutchens’ initial court appearance.

Today’s indictment alleges that Hutchens conducted financial transactions with money that his wife had embezzled from her employer. According to the indictment, Hutchens’ wife embezzled $824,394 between September 2004 and October 2008. During that time, the indictment says, they filed joint tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and their adjusted gross income ranged from $1,886 to $62,731. Also during that time, the indictment says, $522,234 was deposited into Hutchens’ bank account.

Hutchens is charged with eight counts of engaging in monetary transactions with funds that he knew were derived from criminal activity.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI and the Sugar Creek, Mo., Police Department.