Legal Justice
Court docket-appointed legal professionals are victims of stolen verify schemes, prosecutors say; 6 individuals charged
Six individuals have been charged with depositing stolen checks meant to pay court-appointed legal professionals representing indigent defendants in federal circumstances in New York. (Picture from Shutterstock)
Six individuals have been charged with depositing stolen checks meant to pay court-appointed legal professionals representing indigent defendants in federal circumstances in New York.
The costs are a part of an ongoing investigation into “the widespread theft and depositing of checks” issued to individuals concerned within the prison justice system, in keeping with a Feb. 7 press release by U.S. Legal professional Breon Peace of the Japanese District of New York.
The six defendants are charged in two separate indictments unsealed in Brooklyn, New York Metropolis, on Wednesday.
Reuters and Law360 have protection.
In a single case, three defendants had been charged with financial institution fraud and financial institution fraud conspiracy in reference to the deposit of a $125,386 verify issued to a lawyer with workplaces in Brooklyn, New York Metropolis. One of many defendants, Ada Tavarez, can be charged with one depend of aggravated identification theft.
Prosecutors allege that Tavarez deposited the verify right into a fraudulent checking account that she created within the lawyer’s title utilizing a faux driver’s license and Social Safety card, in keeping with the press launch and indictment. The signature on the verify was cast, in keeping with prosecutors.
A second defendant, Markel Washington, allegedly accessed the account on-line and referred to as the financial institution searching for a launch of funds when the verify was positioned on maintain. His iCloud account additionally had photographs of Tavarez that had been used on the fraudulent driver’s license, the indictment stated.
A 3rd defendant, Tyquan Robinson, is accused of accessing an electronic mail account within the lawyer’s title that was used to open the checking account. The restoration cellphone quantity for the account was Robinson’s, prosecutors alleged. His iCloud account additionally had a observe containing private information for the lawyer, prosecutors stated.
Tavarez, 58, lives within the Bronx, New York Metropolis; Robinson, 29, lives in East Orange, New Jersey; and Washington, 28, lives within the Bronx, New York Metropolis.
In a second case, three defendants are accused of collaborating in a scheme to money checks issued to 3rd events. One stolen verify was issued to a lawyer for indigent defendants within the quantity of $14,856. The verify was deposited into an account opened by one of many defendants with a faux endorsement signing it over to him.
The defendants are accused of withdrawing a few of the cash from ATMs, utilizing it for purchases at shops and eating places, and utilizing it to purchase airline tickets.
One of many defendants was not recognized as a result of he wasn’t but arrested. The others are Nicholas Barton, 27, of Brooklyn, New York Metropolis; and Richard Reid, 26, of New York Metropolis. They’re charged with wire fraud, financial institution fraud and conspiracy to commit these crimes.
