56°
On Monday, authorities announced that five people - all from Prince George's County - will face charges for a fraud scheme that saw them take more than 600 checks with a face value greater than $5 million.
Those charged:
- Tianna "Mendoza" Cosby, 23, of Upper Marlboro;
- Marche Sisco, 26, of Suitland;
- Tommi Cosby, 21, of District Heights;
- Biniah Carter, 24, of Upper Marlboro;
- Zion Oluwademilade Adeduqon, 22, of Bowie.
Tianna Cosby and Carter were scheduled to make their initial appearances in court on Monday after being arrested on Friday, Jan. 19. The other three remain at large.
According to the 18-count indictment, Sisco, a USPS mail handler assistant working at the Washington Network Distribution Center used her position to steal checks, which were then distributed to Cosby.
They had an estimated face value exceeding $5 million.
If it also alleged that the Cosbys, Carter, and Adeduwon recruited "account mules" whose bank accounts were used to deposit the illegally acquired checks and proceeds of the scheme.
As detailed in the indictment, the group altered the stolen checks to reflect payment to account mules, deposited the fraudulent checks into the bank accounts belonging to those mules, then engaged in financial transactions, including ATM withdrawals and account transfers, to obtain the ill-gotten proceeds.
If convicted, each faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud and for each count of bank fraud; and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each count of aggravated identity theft.
Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Gaithersburg and receive free news updates.
