A California resident has admitted to participating in a money laundering scheme that defrauded various entities, including the Town of Bristol, Rhode Island, out of nearly $9 million. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Alec Tahir Baker, 61, from Corona, California, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2025, to conspiracy to commit money laundering. His sentencing is scheduled for February 24, 2026. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
Court documents indicate that Baker was involved in a conspiracy that utilized phishing tactics and spoofed vendor emails to access victim computer networks. These actions allowed the conspirators to redirect legitimate wire transfers into bank accounts controlled by Baker. He opened multiple bank accounts under his own name as well as in the names of fraudulent companies. Over $7.6 million in fraudulent funds were received by Baker and then quickly withdrawn or transferred through various methods—including cryptocurrency accounts—to obscure their origin.
In January 2023, Baker and his associates accessed the Town of Bristol’s computer network and facilitated the transfer of $310,500 in municipal funds into an account under Baker’s name. These funds were subsequently withdrawn or moved into other accounts.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lee H. Vilker and Denise M. Barton are prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with support from local law enforcement agencies including the Bristol Police Department; Genesee County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Baltimore County, Maryland Police Department; Hartland, Wisconsin Police Department; and assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
“There is no place for those who use sophisticated schemes to steal millions from businesses and communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
