Six people have been federally indicted in Minnesota in a scheme prosecutors say turned business checks stolen from the mail into more than $1.5 million in successful thefts from Twin Cities financial institutions.
Willie Roy Turner Jr., 29, of Chicago, identified by prosecutors as the lead defendant, made his initial court appearance September 4. Turner and five co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 26, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
Federal prosecutors say the operation ran from at least November 2022 through September 2024 and involved checks payable to or drawn from victim businesses, fraudulent identification documents and unauthorized bank accounts. Alpha News reported that at least 15 Minnesota banks, credit unions or other financial institutions were identified as victims in the indictment.
The defendants deposited or tried to deposit more than $5.1 million in business checks, prosecutors say. Turner, Marc Anderson, Billy Ray Cameron Jr., Devontay Colbert, Dontae Williams and Takiya Shemwell face different combinations of bank fraud, mail fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft charges. All six are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A Postal Employee Is Accused of Supplying Stolen Checks
Prosecutors say Shemwell was working for the U.S. Postal Service in Chicago when she identified business mail containing checks that were either payable to victim companies or drawn from their accounts.
She allegedly removed those mail pieces and sold the checks to Turner and Cameron. According to the indictment, Shemwell received payments through a peer-to-peer money transfer application, while Turner and Cameron distributed the stolen checks among other participants.
Shemwell is charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The Justice Department’s announcement does not accuse her of opening the fraudulent Twin Cities bank accounts used to negotiate the checks.
Fake Minnesota Companies Helped Open Bank Accounts
Turner, Anderson, Cameron, Colbert and Williams are accused of registering new Minnesota limited liability companies using the names of businesses that were supposed to receive the stolen checks.
Prosecutors say the defendants used those LLC documents at financial institutions while presenting fraudulent identification in other people’s names and falsely claiming to be authorized representatives of the legitimate businesses.
The accounts were then used to deposit checks stolen from the mail. Once funds became available, the defendants allegedly converted the proceeds through cash withdrawals or purchases of cashier’s checks.
The Six Defendants Face Different Federal Charges
Turner and Cameron are each charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Anderson, Colbert and Williams each face conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. Shemwell faces one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud tied to the alleged theft and sale of checks from the postal system.
The investigation was conducted under the Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Eagan Police Department, Richfield Police Department and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Marshals offices in Minnesota, Illinois and Arizona also assisted.
How Businesses Can Reduce Exposure to Stolen Check Fraud
Businesses that still send important checks through the mail can reduce the time those payments sit unattended. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service recommends depositing outgoing mail before the final pickup of the day or taking it directly to a Post Office rather than leaving it in a mailbox overnight.
Companies should also watch for expected payments that fail to reach the intended recipient and review bank activity for checks or withdrawals they do not recognize. If a mailed business check disappears, contacting the bank quickly can help determine whether it was deposited into an unauthorized account.
Electronic payment methods can remove the physical check from the process when they are appropriate for the transaction. Businesses that continue using checks should keep mailing and payment records so they can identify when a check was sent, who was supposed to receive it and when the problem was discovered.
Suspected mail related check fraud can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or through its online reporting system. The agency also recommends notifying local police when a mailed check has been stolen or fraudulently deposited.