Date: November 4, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that Kenneth Slaughter of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 3, 2021, by Judge Solomon Oliver to 26 months in prison and a $5,000 fine after Slaughter pleaded guilty in July of 2021 to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. According to court documents, from April of 2015 to March of 2019, Slaughter purchased or leased several high-end motor vehicles for known drug traffickers in return for cash payments made directly from drug trafficking proceeds. To conduct the scheme, Slaughter provided false information to car dealerships and on credit applications to obtain financing to purchase the vehicles. Slaughter then registered the vehicles in his name, his girlfriend's name and in the name of his businesses to conceal that the traffickers, who ultimately took possession and control of the vehicles, were the true owners. Slaughter made payments on the vehicles using drug trafficking proceeds funneled through his business bank accounts. Some of the vehicles Slaughter purchased include a Mercedes Benz GLC 300 C4, Infiniti QX80, Jaguar F-PACE, Land Rover Range Rover and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. These vehicles were later used to conduct drug trafficking activities in the Cleveland area. In total, Slaughter laundered between $95,000 and $150,000 of drug trafficking proceeds through the scheme. This case was investigated by the Cartel Gang Narcotics and Money Laundering Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation and Westlake Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney.
