Lorenzo Jones, a 38-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced on Mar. 9 to serve 34 months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
The case highlights efforts by law enforcement to address interstate financial crimes that target businesses and banks across state lines. The sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Sasha Mascarenhas, Jones and his co-conspirators—Ameer Clark, Quentavious Price, Montez White, and others—carried out the scheme between January and September 2022. The group traveled from Atlanta to the Western District of New York where they stole genuine checks from businesses and used them to create fraudulent checks drawn on those business accounts. They then recruited individuals to cash the fake checks at various banks after outfitting them as construction workers or laborers.
In one instance in January 2022, Jones, Price, and two others flew from Atlanta to Buffalo and drove an individual to several KeyBank branches in an attempt to cash fraudulent checks tied to businesses in Elma and Tonawanda, New York. In March of that year, Price and two others brought three individuals from Atlanta to Buffalo for similar activities at M&T Bank branches as well as other local banks using accounts belonging to businesses in Tonawanda, Clarence, and Sanborn.
By September 2022, Jones joined Clark, Price, and White on a trip from Atlanta to Rochester where they transported six individuals who attempted or succeeded in cashing fraudulent checks at multiple area banks using accounts linked with businesses based in Rochester and Alden.
The total loss attributed to the scheme—including both actual losses suffered by victims and intended losses—amounted to $64,979.67. Co-conspirators Clark, Price, and White have all previously been convicted for their roles.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations under Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan’s direction along with the New York State Police led by Major Amie P. Feroleto.
