PROVIDENCE – Eleven individuals, including three bank employees, have been charged in alleged counterfeit checks and bank fraud schemes, acting U.S. attorney Richard B. Myrus announced Monday.
The individuals were charged in two separate superseding indictments unsealed in federal court in Providence Monday.
Internal Controls & Audits: Keys to a Resilient Hospitality Business
In the fast-paced world of hospitality, where operations run 24 hours a day, 365 days…
Learn More
Four of the defendants allegedly participated in a scheme to defraud banks for roughly one year beginning in April 2020. Prosecutors alleged that Terrance Richardson of Providence obtained and stole checks and bank account information belonging to businesses and individuals and used the information to create counterfeit checks. The indictment alleges that Richardson gained the help of Machaela Farias of Providence, an employee at Santander Bank, to facilitate the deposit of the counterfeit checks. Prosecutors said that Richardson and others obtained debit card information of individuals who agreed to be compensated for allowing counterfeit checks to be deposited into their bank accounts. Then, Richardson, Farias, Johanna Arias of Providence, Jordan Robertson of Providence and others would quickly withdraw the funds from the accounts.
The indictment charges Richardson, Farias, Arias, and Robertson with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 14 counts of bank fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island said. Additionally, Richardson was charged with aggravated identity theft.
The scheme is alleged to have included the depositing of $165,154 in counterfeit checks and the withdrawal of at least $89,453 in cash.
Another seven of the defendants were alleged to have participated in an unrelated scheme to defraud banks for 14 months starting in January 2020.
The indictment alleges that Richard Koboi of Providence, Maximilian Mwah and Godgift Rosler, both of Pawtucket, obtained and stole checks and bank account information belonging to small businesses and individuals. Prosecutors alleged that some of the obtained information was accessed by Savonnah Briggs and Isha-Lee Savage, both of Providence, while working at Citizens Bank and Santander Bank, respectively, to create counterfeit checks that Koboi, Mwah and others deposited into bank accounts of individuals that were paid in exchange for their agreement to allow their bank accounts to be used.
The indictment alleges that nearly $70,000 in counterfeit checks was deposited into the accounts and that Koboi, Mwah, Junior Richards and Darren Maenza, both of Pawtucket, and others made rapid withdrawals, cash transfers and debit card purchases from the accounts.
Each defendant in the indictment was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Additionally, the indictment charges Richards, Maenza and Rosler with 12 counts of bank fraud and Richard Koboi with 12 counts of bank fraud and one count each of aggravated identity theft and felon in possession of a firearm.
