DETROIT – Eight people were indicted by a grand jury for a bank fraud conspiracy scheme stemming from checks stolen from the mail, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Detroit Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Kevin Jones, 57, of Detroit, Flent Curney, 62, of Detroit, John Randazzo, 52, of Warren, Feraud Curney, 38, of Detroit, Filan Curney, 39, of Detroit, Ferris Curney, 34, of Detroit, Melody Leggett, 37, of Detroit, and Katana Jackson, 45, of Detroit, devised and participated in a scheme to obtain checks sent through the United States Postal Service intended for legitimate businesses. The conspirators would then incorporate fictitious businesses with similar-sounding names to the legitimate businesses and then open bank accounts in the names of those fictitious businesses. The defendants then deposited the checks intended for the legitimate business into the fraudulent bank accounts. The conspirators then depleted the money from these accounts via cash withdrawals, debit card purchases, and cashier’s checks. The defendants have been charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
This case has been assigned to United States District Judge Denise Page Hood. The defendants could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, and Wixom Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Ramamurthy and Sarah Youngblood.