Three people face up to 30 years in prison after targeting South Florida banks in scheme
Three people in Palm Beach County face federal prison time for their roles in an identity theft scheme that targeted major South Florida banks.
Ja’kevious Ri’shaad Vickers, who according to court documents led the bank-fraud conspiracy, pleaded guilty on Dec. 21 to three counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The government agreed to drop nine other charges filed against him in October as part of a plea deal.
Vickers faces a maximum of 30 in prison for one charge, followed by five years of supervised release. He also has a mandatory minimum term of two years of imprisonment that must occur immediately before or after his initial sentence.
The other two, Gregory Bernard Ashley Jr., and Naim W. Kahook, each pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. They also each face up to 30 years in federal prison.
According to federal prosecutors, the trio got their hands on fully drafted checks drawn from the bank accounts of other people and businesses, and made out the checks to third parties that were then deposited into other accounts. The group then withdrew, wired or transferred the funds in those bank accounts.
The scheme, which according to court records occurred from November 2021 to June 2022, hit Truist Bank (formerly SunTrust Bank), PNC Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and Bank of America, according to an initial indictment from October.
The investigation was led by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe with the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County’s Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Roberto Delgado is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Vickers, Ashley and Kahook are set for sentencing on March 14 before U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
William Matthewman is the U.S. Magistrate judge who accepted the plea on Dec. 22.
