Last week, a federal grand jury indicted brothers Denis Gutsu, aged 31, from Antelope, and Maxim Gutsu, aged 26, from Rancho Cordova, on a single-count charge of conspiring to commit money laundering, as announced by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
According to legal documents, between December 2017 and March 2019, Denis Gutsu and Maxim Gutsu purchased gift cards from a national retailer from individuals who had obtained them using stolen credit card information. The Gutsu brothers bought these discounted gift cards and swiftly sold them to an online gift card exchange, often at a reduced price. The online exchange, in turn, passed on these discounts to buyers who would use the gift cards before the national retailer could cancel them due to fraud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is handling the prosecution.
If found guilty, Denis Gutsu and Maxim Gutsu could each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or double the value of the laundered property. However, the court will decide the actual sentence, considering various statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. It’s important to note that the charges are accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
