8 Jamaicans, including influencer, charged in multimillion-dollar US bank fraud scheme
Key Points(5)
- Eight Jamaicans have been charged in the United States with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud in an alleged multimillion-dollar scheme that involved using counterfeit checks and US Treasury notes to defraud financial institutions.
- The charges were announced Wednesday, October 21, by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
- According to an indictment, the defendants allegedly carried out the scheme from at least 2022, recruiting people through social media and other means to provide access to their bank accounts.
- The accounts were then allegedly used to deposit fraudulent financial instruments, including checks and US Treasury notes, before funds were withdrawn before banks could determine that the instruments were counterfeit.
- Investigators allege that the defendants discussed the operation on social media platforms and messaging applications, sharing images of fraudulent checks, bank branch locations and other people’s personal identifying information.
Eight defendants have been charged in the United States in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar bank fraud scheme that prosecutors say used social media to recruit participants and facilitate the deposit of counterfeit checks and US Treasury notes into bank accounts.
The indictment was unsealed on Wednesday, October 21, by US Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York and James C. Barnacle Jr., assistant director in charge of the New York field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The defendants are Jeshon Bingham, 24, also known as “Jay” and “Glizzy”; Rupertt Sherrir, 26, also known as “Rupert Sherrier,” “RJ” and “Mr. Bag Different”; Floyd Forrest, 27, also known as “Wild Apache Jr.”; Reheem Anderson, 23, also known as “Dirt”; Mikhail Davis, 31, also known as “Mickey”; Juzan Spence, 31, also known as “Juju” and “Roddy”; Chavaughn Boothe, 32, also known as “Quenga”; and Michelle Hylton, 33, also known as “Michii.”
"Michii" is a known social media influencer in Jamaica.
According to the indictment, the defendants, along with others, allegedly defrauded several national financial institutions of millions of dollars from at least 2022 through the filing of the indictment.
Prosecutors allege that the group recruited people through social media and other means to provide access to their bank accounts. The accounts were then allegedly used to deposit fraudulent financial instruments, including counterfeit checks and US Treasury notes.
The defendants allegedly withdrew the funds before the banks could determine that the financial instruments were counterfeit, according to the indictment.
Investigators also allege that members of the conspiracy used social media platforms and messaging applications to discuss the scheme and exchange information, including photographs of fraudulent checks, the locations of bank branches and other people's personal identifying information.
“Bad actors are increasingly seeking to abuse technology platforms — here social media platforms — to commit fraud,” McDonald said in a statement.
He said his office was committed to using every available prosecutorial tool to address such crimes, adding that the defendants allegedly used social media to recruit members of the conspiracy and victims and to facilitate the multimillion-dollar scheme.
“They will now be forced to answer these charges in court,” McDonald said.
Barnacle said the defendants allegedly carried out a calculated fraud scheme that caused substantial losses to financial institutions nationwide.
“Their actions were unlawful, and the FBI will never tolerate attacks on the integrity of our financial system,” he said.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace also highlighted the importance of cooperation among law enforcement agencies in investigating financial crimes.
Cacace said her office's Criminal Investigators Squad played a role in the complex investigation, which was supported by Mount Vernon police officers, New York State Police troopers and the FBI's Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.
She described financial crimes as involving calculated deception and said they were far from victimless offences. Her office remains committed to working with local, state and federal partners to investigate and prosecute people who exploit others for financial gain, she added.
Charges and possible penalties
Each of the eight defendants faces charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Both offences carry a maximum potential prison sentence of 30 years.
Seven defendants were expected to be arraigned on the indictment on Wednesday before US Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. Anderson is scheduled to be arraigned on a later date.
The US Attorney's Office said the maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided for informational purposes. Any sentence imposed would be determined by the presiding judge.
McDonald also praised the work of the FBI's Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.
The case is being handled by the White Plains Division of the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Assistant US Attorneys David A. Markewitz and Christopher Morel are leading the prosecution.
The indictment contains allegations only. All eight defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
