Grants Pass Catches Trucker Laundering

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - A 30-year-old California trucker has

been charged with money laundering by purchasing laptop computers

at Wal-Mart stores and then returning them for cash.

Police arrested Anatoliy Brichka of Riverbank, Calif., on Monday

at the Grants Pass Wal-Mart as he made nearly $4,000 in purchases,

including five laptop computers.

Investigators told The Grants Pass Daily Courier that Brichka

had spent nearly $10,000 at Wal-Mart stores earlier the same day in

neighboring Jackson County, where he again had purchased laptop

computers.

Brichka was released after he pleaded not guilty to two counts

of money laundering on Tuesday at a hearing in Josephine County

Circuit Court in Grants Pass.

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Information from: Daily Courier, http://www.thedailycourier.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-06-27-09 1455EDT