UPDATE 4/18/23 — Huggins was sentenced to six months in federal prison before two years of supervised release.

He must also pay $58,859 in restitution.

Huggins must self-surrender on or before May 25, 2023, to start his sentence.

Original article published Sept. 19, 2022:

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — A Florida man pleaded guilty to his role in a money-laundering conspiracy that amassed $223,427, most of which came from Missouri’s Fort Leonard Wood.

Franklin D. Huggins, 54, of Homosassa, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, Huggins played a role in an email hacking scheme that led to victims in Missouri, Tennessee, and Idaho having money stolen from them from January 2017 to January 2019.

Huggins and his co-conspirators would hack into business email accounts and then send emails from the business to have money sent to bank accounts. By using these fake digital identities, Huggins and others were able to get $164,568 from the Fort Leonard Wood branch of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. The money was sent to a bank account owned by Huggins.

They were also able to get $9,000 from a person in Tennessee and $49,859 from an Idaho business.

Huggins faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and must forfeit $223,427 to the government. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled.