Jesse El-Ghoul, a 31-year-old man from Leominste, Massachusetts, is facing serious federal charges after allegedly stealing more than $1.3 million in government funds. Prosecutors say he deposited a forged tax refund check meant for another company and then tried to hide the stolen money through a series of transactions involving fake businesses and real estate. The case has sparked attention from multiple federal agencies, including the FBI and IRS.
Jesse El-Ghoul Allegedly Forged U.S. Treasury Check Worth Over $1.3 Million
Jesse El-Ghoul, 31, who owns a used car business called Affordable Motor Group in Leominster, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston. Authorities allege that on March 29, 2024, Jesse El-Ghoul deposited a U.S. Treasury tax refund check for $1,344,863 into the bank account of his business. However, investigators claim the check did not belong to him. It was originally issued to a Canadian company, based on that company’s 2021 tax return, and was allegedly forged and altered to make it appear payable to El-Ghoul’s business instead.
In total, the alleged scheme involved $1,355,863 in stolen government funds. According to the charging documents, the check had been altered and deposited fraudulently. El-Ghoul was arrested on June 6, 2025, and now faces six federal charges.
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Authorities Say Stolen Funds Were Laundered Through Cashier’s Checks
Just days after depositing the forged check, El-Ghoul reportedly went back to the bank multiple times. Instead of withdrawing the cash directly, he purchased several cashier’s checks—large, official checks that are often used in major transactions.
Investigators say El-Ghoul used the stolen funds to buy cashier’s checks for amounts such as $235,280, $223,591, $202,643, and $425,000. These checks were made payable to what officials describe as shell companies—fake or inactive businesses used to hide money. One check was also used in connection with a real estate deal involving a third-party law firm in eastern Massachusetts.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these actions were part of an effort to launder the stolen money and make it harder to trace. Moving large sums through fake companies and real estate deals is a common tactic in financial fraud cases.
The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, who serves as Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit in Boston.
Multiple Federal Charges Could Lead to Decades in Prison
El-Ghoul now faces one count of theft of government funds, one count of bank fraud, and four counts of money laundering. Each of these charges carries serious prison time and financial penalties.
If convicted, Jesse El-Ghoul faces serious consequences. The theft of government funds charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The bank fraud charge is more serious, with a potential sentence of up to 30 years behind bars and fines of up to $1 million. In addition, each of the four money laundering charges could result in up to 20 years in prison, along with fines of $500,000 per count, or twice the amount of money involved in the transactions, whichever is greater.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, along with key federal officials including Ted E. Docks (FBI Boston Division), Thomas Demeo (IRS Criminal Investigation), Michael Carpenter (U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration), and Ketty Larco-Ward (U.S. Postal Inspection Service).
As of now, no court date has been set. It’s important to remember that El-Ghoul is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.