4 Ga Residents Charged With Participating in a Scheme to Defraud Retirees, Federal Benefit Programs

[TexasTowelie]

On November 21, 2019, four Georgia residents had their initial appearances in South Florida on charges related to their alleged involvement in an international scheme to defraud retirees of their veterans and social security benefits.

U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG), Inspector in Charge David M. McGinnis of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Charlotte Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Rodregas W. Owens of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Atlanta Field Division made the announcement.

Jamare Mason, 25, of Lithonia, Ronaldo Garfield Green, 27, of Snellville, Mario Andre Ricketts, 24, of Carrollton, and Omar Shaquille Bailey, 24, of Snellville, all of Georgia, and three other individuals were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud (Case No. 19-CR-60313). The four Georgia residents had their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

According to allegations in the indictment, between May 2012 and July 2017, the defendants and three other individuals participated in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration by fraudulently redirecting retirees’ benefits to accounts controlled by them. The scheme, which was international in scope, involved conspirators in Jamaica, Georgia, and Florida. The conspirators obtained the personal identifying information of veterans and social security beneficiaries and used that information unlawful access and gain control of beneficiaries’ accounts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and/or Social Security Administration. After doing so, the conspirators redirected the benefits to bank accounts, as well as prepaid debit cards and accounts, which they controlled. The subjects then withdraw the funds from ATM machines or transferred funds to other accounts, for their own personal use.

Read more: https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-public-safety/4-ga-residents-charged-with-participating-in-a-scheme-to-defraud-retirees-federal-benefit-programs/

[rampartc]

1. towlie, do you realize how much of your news postings regard fraud?

how many of these "white collar crimes" are not solved or prosecuted?

this scheme went on for 5 years while veterans and seniors lived (I hope they lived, anyway) without the checks they earned over lifetimes. will the eventual sentences be enough to deter any other "white collar" criminals?

[TexasTowelie]

2. Yes, I'm aware that there is a lot of fraud out there.

It's also a shame that so many of the crimes are not prosecuted and when guilty verdicts are obtained the prison sentences don't appear to be a reasonable deterrent. Some of the criminals learn from their errors and move on to even larger hoaxes.

For every one of the large fraud schemes that are posted by myself and by other DU members there are hundreds of small schemes where someone might lose a few hundred dollars instead. The best that I can hope for is that people will read and learn so that they can avoid becoming victims.

[Skittles]

4. excellent response, TexasTowelie

[TexasTowelie]

5. Thanks.

I think that I've learned a few things myself from posting these stories.

[NCjack]

6. Please, more Repuke-on-Repuke fraud. nt

[TexasTowelie]

7. If I see anything about Repukes screwing each other over, then I will certainly post it.

I never pass up the opportunity to point out the humiliation along with the lack of moral and ethical values.

[nitpicker]

3. Link to the DoJ PR

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/four-georgia-residents-charged-south-florida-participating-scheme-defraud-retirees-and