Cherie Campion, a 64-year-old resident of Manitowoc, was sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $10 million in restitution for her role in a money laundering scheme. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Lynn Adelman on January 27, 2026. Campion will also serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment.
Campion operated a temporary staffing agency through which she generated and submitted thousands of fraudulent invoices. This resulted in financial losses totaling more than $10 million for two companies—specifically, $5 million and $5,389,371.51 respectively. She pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i).
Judge Adelman described the case as “significant” misconduct involving large sums of money and deception that lasted several years. He highlighted the sophisticated nature of the crimes: “intricate operations,” fake financial records, use of a fictitious persona to mislead victims, and even employing a voice modulator as part of the scheme. While acknowledging that Campion’s age and lack of prior criminal history made reoffending unlikely, Judge Adelman stated that imprisonment was necessary to “promote general deterrence,” aiming to discourage others from committing similar offenses.
U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel commented on the outcome: “As the Judge said, this should be a message to all would-be fraudsters and embezzlers that they will be caught and imprisoned,” adding his appreciation for the investigation and prosecution team’s efforts.
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr noted: “Cherie Campion devised an elaborate fraud scheme which caused significant loss to the victims. The sentencing of Campion and the accompanying restitution order of more than $10 million serves justice for the victims of this fraud scheme.” He affirmed the FBI’s commitment to working with law enforcement partners against such crimes.
Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge at Chicago Field Office, said: “Today’s sentencing of Campion demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who engage in deception and fraud… Today’s actions highlight our collective efforts to enforce the law and protect the public’s trust.”
Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector in Charge at U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division stated: “This sentencing reflects the successful teamwork across many federal law enforcement agencies… We want the public to know that Postal Inspectors will aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to use the Postal Service for criminal activity.”
Vincent Zehme from FDIC OIG emphasized broader impacts: “Ms. Campion’s fraud caused significant losses… This type of sophisticated fraud scheme not only causes losses… but also undermines the integrity of our Nation’s banks when fraud proceeds are laundered through our financial systems.”
The investigation involved multiple agencies including IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FDIC-Office of Inspector General, and FBI Milwaukee Division; Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Knight prosecuted the case.
