Federal authorities are accusing eight people of orchestrating a scheme that used fake checks to steal $500,000 from New York banks.
The group deposited falsified checks totaling $3 million into accounts, though only half a million cleared before cash withdrawals occurred, says the U.S. Department of Justice.
Bianca Vieux allegedly led the ring by enlisting others to open accounts for the deposits.
New York City Department of Investigation’s commissioner, Nadia I. Shihata, says,
“Vieux orchestrated the scheme, advertising her services on an encrypted messaging platform, and solicited recruits to provide their debit cards and bank account information. As Vieux herself said in a text message: ‘lol I scam the government not human beings[.] I don’t steal from people I still [sic] from banks[.]’ Once Vieux received an account holder’s banking information, she or another co-conspirator would deposit a falsified check into their account. If it cleared, the accountholder would travel to Queens to make large cash withdrawals in person at various bank branches.”
Participants in the fraudulent scheme spent the proceeds on luxury goods, plastic surgery, trips, among other things.
Two additional former New York jail guards had already entered guilty pleas in the Brooklyn federal case.
Other defendants face charges for helping produce fake documents used in the fraud.
Prosecutors allege the defendants exploited their positions and networks to build the multi-million-dollar operation through deception and forged instruments.
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