ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York announced on Thursday that 13 people have been indicted in an Albany-based bank fraud conspiracy. The case involves the alleged theft of over $1 million in checks.
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The indictment alleges that Jahquel “Jolly” Robertson, 31, of Albany worked alongside 12 others to defraud numerous people, businesses, and banking establishments throughout the country by using stolen and forged financial information. Robertson is accused of receiving more than $1 million in stolen checks from the mail by bribing a United States Postal Service employee, which were then reportedly deposited fraudulently by the other defendants.
Defendants
- Jahquel “Jolly” Robertson, 31, of Albany
- Nathaniel Williams, 35, of New York City
- Anisa Marie Figueroa, 35, of Albany
- Tyler Whittingham, 30, of New York City
- Mishak Sam-Hinton, 29, of Newark, New Jersey
- Britani Williams, 26, of North Adams, Massachusetts
- Kedar Morton, 35, of Albany
- Ray Hernandez, 28, of Albany
- Sylvia Harris Thomas, 22, of Troy
- Ladezma Scurry, 32, of Schenectady
- Raheen Williams, 30, of Albany
- Kaitlyn Thompson, 38, of Albany
- Emahnee Shelton, 28, of Schenectady
“Jolly and his merry band of alleged co-conspirators attempted to defraud national financial institutions by depositing fraudulent checks into theirs and others bank accounts then quickly move to withdraw the funds,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III stated. “As alleged in the indictment, he bribed a public official to do so and committed a host of other federal crimes in the process. We will work quickly to seek justice against these defendants and are thankful for our legion of partners in this matter, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), and the New York State Police.”
“These charges describe a far-reaching bank fraud scheme that diverted more than a million dollars in stolen checks and victimized honest residents, businesses, and financial institutions that sustain our communities,” said Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of HSI. “HSI Albany remains firmly dedicated to uncovering and disrupting fraud schemes that prey on hardworking people and exploit the banking and mail systems for personal gain. Working in close coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, HSI continues to prioritize safeguarding the public and protecting the integrity of our financial systems.”
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“Postal Service employees hold positions of public trust, and allegations involving mail theft, check fraud, or bribery are taken seriously,” said Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of USPS-OIG. “The USPS OIG remains committed to working with our partners to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail and hold those who exploit it accountable. We appreciate the continued partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI, and the New York State Police.”
“As alleged, these individuals concocted a scheme to engage in fraud and theft for the purpose of depriving unsuspecting individuals out of their rightfully owed money,” New York State Police Superintendent Steven James stated. “Our members and law enforcement partners have once again removed deceptive criminals from our community, putting an end to fraudulent and dishonest acts. I applaud the work of all those involved for holding these bad actors accountable and pursuing a justice for the victims.”
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If convicted of the bank fraud conspiracy charges, the 13 defendants face up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Robertson, Figueroa, Whittingham, and Shelton additionally face aggravated identity theft charges…