A 69-year-old man who once lived in Miami-Dade County has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a $14 million check fraud scheme that drained thousands of bank accounts across Miami-Dade and Broward counties over the better part of a decade. Eri Guzman Ortiz, who operated under aliases including “Cindy Sullivan,” admitted to one count of wire fraud and now faces sentencing on November 5.
According to Tampa Bay 28, Guzman Ortiz used fraudulent and unauthorized checks to steal millions from thousands of bank accounts tied to individuals and businesses, transferring the stolen funds into accounts belonging to sham companies he helped set up. Federal court records reviewed by the Department of Justice show he collaborated with a Canada-based co-conspirator from at least 2015 through December 2023, with email communications documenting the partnership dating back to at least 2021.
Sham Foundations Designed to Dodge Bank Scrutiny
Court filings reveal Guzman Ortiz was no passive participant — he actively coached his Canadian partner on how to keep the scheme running under the radar. He advised setting up shell businesses with deceptive medical or charitable names, like “Emergency Care Services Inc.” or “MEDI-CARE FOUNDATION,” explaining that banks granted medical entities “more leeway” and that foundations could process up to $300,000 in deposits before triggering a hold, per the same records.
The scheme’s mechanics relied on Remotely Created Checks, or RCCs — unsigned payment drafts generated using stolen bank account and routing numbers that carry printed authorization legends such as “Authorized by Drawer” instead of a physical signature. RCCs were originally designed for legitimate uses like telemarketing and preauthorized bill payments, but they clear through automated bank systems without requiring a traditional signature, making them a tool ripe for abuse in the hands of fraudsters.
A Lie to Police, and a Betrayal of His Own Partner
The operation nearly unraveled in February 2021, when a police detective contacted Guzman Ortiz about a dummy account under investigation. He falsely told the detective the account was closed — all while secretly continuing to process unauthorized checks through a different sham entity, according to court filings…