TOPEKA (KSNT) – Federal law enforcement officials report that five people including three in Kansas, have been sentenced for their roles in an $800,000 fraud scheme.
Danielle Thomas with the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a press release on oct. 14 that the group of five pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They were given the following prison sentences:
- 53-year-old Topeka man – 95 months or just under eight years
- 36-year-old Topeka woman – 38 months or just over three years
- 46-year-old man from Newtown – 12 months or one year
- 39-year-old woman from Spring Valley, California – 12 months or one year
- 44-year-old man from Joplin, Missouri – 34 months or just under three years
Thomas said the group started working together in the scheme to defraud a casino and online gaming services company in July 2021 and continued it through to March 2024. The group reportedly obtained personal information of customers and used these details to create fake driver’s licenses. The group also would withdraw money from the customer’s accounts.
Thomas said the group used this method multiple times at several casinos throughout the nation. Law enforcement organizations, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri investigated this case.
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“This case underscores how criminals can exploit stolen personal information for financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We urge the public to safeguard their identifying information and to immediately report any unusual account activity. Working together, we can disrupt schemes like this and protect our communities from financial exploitation.”
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