Man charged in money laundering scheme, fraud

BANGOR – A Frenchville man is facing federal money laundering and Social Security fraud charges.

Ricky Daigle, 33, was released on Wednesday on personal recognizance bail after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk in U.S. District Court.

Daigle owns a gas station in Frenchville, according to court documents.

If convicted, Daigle faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 on the charge of conspiring to engage in money laundering. He also faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge of conspiring to engage in Social Security fraud.

Daigle, who was arrested on Tuesday, allegedly conspired with another man, identified in court documents as a co-conspirator, to purchase property in St. David.

The unidentified man, who collects disability, earned the $51,000 he used to purchase the property from selling drugs, according to court document. Daigle is not facing

drug charges.

The unidentified man has been receiving Social Security Disability payments since 1987, according to court documents.

During 2004, he allegedly was involved in smuggling between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds of Canadian-grown marijuana into Maine. He paid $1,000 per pound for the marijuana and sold it for between $2,600 and $2,800 per pound, according to court documents.

In September 2004, the unidentified man allegedly gave Daigle about $50,000 in cash.

Daigle in turn paid for the property and his name was recorded as the owner of the property in the Aroostook County Registry of Deeds.

Daigle allegedly told investigators that he purchased the property for the unidentified man whom he knew collected disability and benefits and did not have legitimate employment.

Daigle also told investigators that he believed the man used money he’d earned from selling drugs to buy the property, according to court document.