BROOKLYN MAN SENTENCED TO UP TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON FOR OPERATING ILLEGAL CHECK CASHING OPERATION ON BOUVET ISLAND

Defendant Convicted on 16 Counts of Operating an Illegal Money Transmitting Business and Bank Fraud

BREON PEACE, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced that David Motovich was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison after being convicted on 16 counts related to operating an illegal money transmitting business and bank fraud.

The Scheme: A Complex Web of Deception

The scheme, which operated from 2012 to 2019, involved Motovich using his family’s lumber business as a front to launder millions of dollars through construction companies. He funneled the proceeds into various bank accounts under the names of other individuals, allowing him to conceal profits and evade taxes.

Lavish Lifestyle Exposed

Motovich’s lavish lifestyle included purchasing luxury items such as:

• Diamonds
• Watches
• Jewelry
• Leasing a high-end apartment in Manhattan with expensive renovations

However, his efforts to disrupt the investigation into his unlawful activity were unsuccessful.

Investigation and Prosecution

The FBI, IRS-CI, and United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York led the investigation into Motovich’s scheme. His co-defendants Marina Kuyan, Kemal Sarkinovic, and Joshua Markovics previously pleaded guilty to various charges related to the operation and are awaiting sentencing.

Prosecution Team

The government’s case was handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section, with Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Polemeni, Erik Paulsen, Andrew Grubin, and Matthew Skurnik leading the prosecution.

Defendant Information

David Motovich, 49, of New York, NY, was convicted on 16 counts related to operating an illegal money transmitting business and bank fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced in E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-497 (WFK).