Gregory Dean, 33, of Suitland, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in a federal court in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on July 22. Dean admitted his role in a financial fraud scheme that involved stolen United States Treasury checks, fraudulent business registrations, and illicit withdrawals from newly created bank accounts.
According to the indictment and statements made in court, Dean and others began the scheme in October 2024. The conspirators allegedly obtained U.S. Treasury checks issued to legitimate businesses and individuals by creating or incorporating entities with names similar to the intended payees. They submitted applications through the IRS’s Modernized Internet Employer Identification Number portal at the IRS facility in Martinsburg to obtain Employer Identification Numbers for these fraudulent entities.
The EINs were then used to open business bank accounts where stolen Treasury checks could be deposited and funds quickly withdrawn before detection. In connection with Dean’s plea, conspirators submitted an electronic EIN application for “Williams Homes Inc.,” which was processed at the IRS center in Martinsburg. The assigned EIN allowed them to open a bank account under that name where a treasury check worth $342,320 payable to a real business was deposited.
Two other Maryland men, Tijuan Arrington and David Walters, have also been charged with multiple counts of wire fraud related to this case. Their trial is scheduled for November 2026.
Dean faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering sentencing guidelines and statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor F. Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, while the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration continues its investigation.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division tasked with investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against Americans as part of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.