Maryland man pleads responsible to function in scheme to steal and alter checks from U.S. mail

A Hanover, Maryland man pleaded responsible Friday to his function in a verify theft and forgery scheme that value victims virtually a half million {dollars}. 

From July to September 2021, Akinbobola Komolafe and co-conspirators stole checks from U.S. mail, a big portion of it outgoing correspondence from the realm round Glen Echo, Maryland. The scheme resulted in losses of $486,716.

Once the checks had been discovered, the recipient and the cost quantity had been modified.

For instance, one verify of $43.20 despatched to a medical observe was altered to ship $40,000 to one of many conspirators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia stated. 

Another verify, initially value $140 and meant to pay a physician, was altered to be value $30,000.

Surveillance footage at Wells Fargo branches in Arlington and Falls Church confirmed Komolafe depositing the checks, simply identifiable by his distinct clothes. 

Once the unlawful beneficial properties had been deposited, the conspirators divided up the cash amongst themselves. For his bother, Komolafe personally obtained or shared in at least $100,000 of the proceeds.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia didn’t specify what costs or what number of counts thereof Komolafe was convicted for. 

Komolafe’s indictment says that he was charged initially with one rely of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and 4 counts of financial institution fraud.