A Columbus man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge stemming from a scheme that used deceptive emails to redirect more than $1.1 million in payments from a New Jersey health care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic. Benjamin Alexander, 43, entered the plea Tuesday, Sept. 29, according to federal court records. He could face up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set, and prosecutors dropped the other 28 charges in the indictment as part of the plea agreement. The scheme began in June 2020, when employees of the health care provider received emails that appeared to come from a supplier of safety equipment. The messages asked the provider to send payments to a new bank account. Investigators said the sender’s email address was designed to resemble the supplier’s, using the number zero in place of the letter “O.” Court records say Alexander had established an Ohio company, BOA Building Maintenance and Cleaning Services LLC, and opened bank accounts for the business as well as accounts in his own name. One company account listed Alexander as its sole signer, and the provider sent money there after receiving the emails. The provider made four electronic transfers totaling about $1.1 million. The largest, $898,013.95, was sent July 3, 2020. Alexander then moved or withdrew the funds through checks, cash withdrawals, electronic payments and other transactions. Records show nine withdrawals followed the July 3 transfer. Alexander was indicted in June 2025 on charges that included conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple counts of money laundering. His guilty plea resolves the first count; the remaining charges were dismissed under the agreement.