United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana

04/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/25/2024 10:19

United States Attorney Announces Return of Indictment Charging 21 Defendants in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Case

Press Release

United States Attorney Announces Return of Indictment Charging 21 Defendants in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Case

Thursday, April 25, 2024
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown, United States Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Felton L. Joseph, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil, announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging 21 defendants in connection with a federal bank fraud case following an investigation into their illegal activities in the Shreveport area.

The defendants charged in the seven-count indictment are as follows:

Defendant Name

Charges

Destane Glass, 22, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Sharmaine Jackson, 25, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Elijah D. Brown, 24, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Eric D. Loud, 23, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Arazhia R. Gully, 23, Bossier City, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Zarrajah Z. Watkins, 22, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Maya L. Green, 23, Bossier City, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

Olivia Deboe, 23, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

Tina Marie Bryant, 42, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

Cynthia R. Bryant, 22, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

Trameka McGinty, 24, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Shaquentalas B. McGinty, 25, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Donte N. Larrimore, 24, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Javonte J. Lejay, 27, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Octavia L. Mitchell, 32, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Lakysa S. Barfield, 26, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Shmarrian J. Taylor, 26, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Shamaya S. Pouncy, 26, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Precious Wilbert, 24, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

Kyra D. Washington-Bates, 23, Shreveport, LA

  • Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud

Rakeydra S. Shepherd, 27, Shreveport, LA

  • Possession of a Counterfeit Security

The indictment alleges that from January 1, 2021, and continuing until on or about October 31, 2022, defendants Glass, Jackson, Brown, Loud, Gully, Watkins, Green, Deboe, T. Bryant, C. Bryant, T. McGinty, S. McGinty, Larrimore, Lejay, Mitchell, Barfield, Taylor, Pouncy, Wilbert and Washington-Bates, and others known and unknown, knowingly and willfully conspired to commit bank fraud. It is alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained money from financial institutions including, but not limited to, USAA Savings Bank (USAA Bank), Chase Bank, and Navy Federal Credit Union (Navy Federal).

It is alleged in the indictment that defendants Glass, Jackson, Brown and Loud worked with one or more employees at the Teleperformance Call Center in Shreveport to obtain account information related to USAA Bank customers. The indictment alleges that Gully, Green and Watkins, who were employees at Teleperformance in Shreveport, illegally provided account information typically targeting older bank customers with high account balances as the defendants believed they were less likely to regularly monitor their account activity. Using the account information provided, the co-conspirators made, or caused to be made, counterfeit checks drawn on USAA Bank and used social media and other methods to recruit individuals who were willing to have the counterfeit checks deposited into their bank accounts in exchange for money.

The indictment further alleges that Deboe, T. Bryant, C. Bryant, T. McGinty, S. McGinty, Larrimore, Lejay, Mitchell, Barfield, Taylor, Pouncy, Wilbert and Washington-Bates each used their bank accounts, or allowed those accounts to be used, to negotiate counterfeit checks drawn on USAA Bank and shared the proceeds with other co-conspirators.

According to the indictment, counterfeit checks were deposited or messages were sent through a social media site (SMS) regarding the deposits and counterfeit checks as follows:

Date

Defendants Involved

Details of Alleged Act

11/27/21

Cynthia R. Bryant to Destane Glass

Message sent through SMS showing $40,000 deposit to Bryant's Chase Bank account

12/13/21

Maya L. Green to Elijah D. Brown

Message sent through SMS offering to sell him USAA Bank account information

1/21/22

Maya L. Green to Elijah D. Brown

Message sent through SMS indicating she had new USAA Bank account information she was willing to sell

5/11/22

Javonte J. Lejay

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $32,000 deposited into his Chase Bank account

5/20/22

Javonte J. Lejay

Entered Margaritaville Casino in Bossier City, LA and made three cash withdrawals totaling $24,000 from his Chase Bank account

5/25/22

Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown

Text message sent containing age and account balances of eight USAA Bank customers

5/25/22

Elijah D. Brown to Arazhia R. Gully

Text message sent indicating he was interested in account information related to a 79-year-old customer with account balance of approximately $442,000

5/25/22

Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown

Text message sent containing picture of her computer monitor displaying account information related to the USAA Bank customer referenced in paragraph above

6/1/22

Destane Glass to Zarrajah Watkins

Text message sent requesting two account numbers

6/1/22

Destane Glass to Zarrajah Watkins

Text message sent inquiring which account belonged to the oldest person and how much was in the account

6/6/22

Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown

Text message sent containing age and account balances of three USAA Bank customers

6/6/22

Elijah D. Brown to Arazhia R. Gully

Text message sent indicating he was interested in the account information related to a 95-year-old customer with account balance of approximately $174,000

6/6/22

Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown

Text message containing picture of her computer monitor displaying account information related to the USAA Bank customer referenced in paragraph above

6/13/22

Shamaya S. Pouncy

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $10,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account

6/13/22

Shaquentalas B. McGinty

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account

6/17/22

Shaquentalas B. McGinty and Sharmaine Jackson

Both defendants entered Bally's Casino in Shreveport, LA and withdrew $7,000 cash from McGinty's Navy Federal account

6/21/22

Kyra D. Washington-Bates

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $16,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account

7/1/22

Eric D. Loud to Zarrajah Watkins

Text message sent requesting that she send a number before he printed some checks

7/25/22

Octavia L. Mitchell

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Chase Bank account

7/25/22

Lakysa S. Barfield

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Chase Bank account

8/2/22

Shmarrian J. Taylor

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $18,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account

8/3/22

Octavia L. Mitchell and Sharmaine Jackson

Both defendants entered Bally's Casino in Shreveport, LA and withdrew $7,000 cash from Mitchell's Chase Bank account

8/3/22

Lakysa S. Barfield and Sharmaine Jackson

Defendants met at Bally's Casino in Shreveport, LA and they withdrew $7,000 cash from Barfield's Chase Bank account

8/11/22

Donte N. Larrimore

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $9,500 deposited into his Bank of America account

8/17/22

Trameka McGinty

Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $5,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account

8/22/22

Donte N. Larrimore and Eric D. Loud

Both defendants entered Bally's Casino and withdrew $4,660 from Larrimore's Bank of America account

9/19/22

Sharmaine Jackson to Zarrajah Watkins

Text message sent requesting "fresh" account information

In addition, the indictment charges defendants C. Bryant, T. Bryant, Green, Deboe, Wilbert and Shepherd each with one count of knowingly possessing a counterfeited security of USAA Bank with the intent to deceive.

The defendants will make their initial appearance and be arraigned in federal court on their charges.

"The banking system is clearly one of the driving forces behind national, state, and local economy in every community across the United States and is critical in consumer transactions on a daily basis," said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. "In these trying economic times, this office is committed to prosecuting those who use national and local banks to defraud other banks, businesses, consumers, and bank customers."

"This case should serve as a strong deterrent for criminal actors considering taking part in similar fraud schemes," said Resident Agent in Charge Felton L. Joseph, Jr. "The U.S. Secret Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and pursue prosecution of these alleged crimes in order to safeguard our communities."

"For months criminals took advantage of a company that serves our veterans, and preyed upon its customers," said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the New Orleans Field Office. "This indictment is the first step in holding those who stole from those who have honored our country with their service, accountable for their despicable actions. The FBI thanks its partners in this case in helping to bring this corruption to light."

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the USSS, FBI, Louisiana State Police and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.

# # #

Updated April 25, 2024
Topic
Financial Fraud