Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
A man from Providence has confessed to participating in a scheme to defraud banks by producing and depositing fake checks. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the guilty plea.
Jarrod Smith, aged 43, admitted his involvement in the conspiracy to commit bank fraud before a federal judge on Tuesday.
Smith revealed that he was part of a fraudulent operation that used stolen check information, mainly from businesses, to create counterfeit checks. These checks were deposited into accounts of individuals recruited through social media by Smith or other conspirators. Once deposited, the funds were quickly withdrawn by Smith or others involved in the scheme. The account holders received compensation for allowing their accounts to be used.
Smith's sentencing is set for August 19, 2025. A federal district judge will determine his sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Lowell and Taylor Dean are handling the prosecution of this case.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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