Cincinnati man sentenced to federal prison for $6.5 million fraud scheme

CINCINNATI - A local man was sentenced in federal court here today to 40 months in prison for defrauding victims out of more than $6.5 million through an online laundry and dry-cleaning pickup and delivery business.

Benjamin Cantey, 43, of Cincinnati, lied to investors and potential investors about his business's financial stability, growth, and potential growth, and he lied about his business experience and prior business success.

According to court documents, in 2019, Cantey started Carbon IQ Inc., doing business as Rumby, as a Delaware corporation that he operated out of Cincinnati. Rumby was a venture-backed startup that purported to provide an e-commerce platform for pickup and delivery of laundry and dry cleaning. Cantey sought to raise investment money as the founder and CEO of the company.

From 2020 through 2022, Cantey communicated false information that overstated Rumby's revenue, profits, bank balance, growth and potential growth. He sent false presentation decks to victims.

For example, Cantey claimed that Rumby ended May 2022 with a $1.5 million bank balance when in reality the account had a negative balance of approximately -$53,000.

The defendant spent $850,000 in investor money to help purchase a 5,000-square-feet, $1.7 million home on Garden Place in Cincinnati.

Cantey was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to wire fraud.

Vipal J. Patel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer is representing the United States in this case.

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