Jackson, Miss - Following a three day trial in U.S. District Court last week, a jury found Gregory Bernard Griffin, 23, of Jackson, guilty of three counts of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, six counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
Griffin was charged in a 17 count indictment with using a stolen identity to open a bank account at a Jackson area credit union, stealing $193,205.43 from a local Marriott hotel, and laundering some of the proceeds of his fraud with the help of his sisters, Tiffany Griffin, 30, and Erica Griffin, 27, both of Jackson.
According to the proof presented during the trial, Gregory Griffin caused the stolen money to be routed from the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Jackson, Mississippi to the fraudulent bank account he opened, by submitting a forged account change form to Bank of America Merchant Services. The forged form directed Bank of America Merchant Services to stop depositing the proceeds from all Visa and MasterCard transactions conducted at the Courtyard Marriott into the Marriott's bank account, and to begin depositing those funds into the account Gregory Griffin had established with a stolen identity. During the trial, the government introduced evidence that Gregory Griffin spent the stolen money at various places throughout Jackson, all while posing as the victim of the Aggravated Identity Theft. The evidence showed that Gregory Griffin laundered some of the stolen money by depositing a $57,900 check made payable to his sister, Tiffany Griffin, into a bank account that she had opened at a second Jackson area bank in her name, purchasing a vehicle from a salvage yard through an intermediary buyer and obtaining auto insurance on that vehicle in the name of his sister Erica Griffin, and by paying the premium with some of the stolen money.
Tiffany Griffin and Erica Griffin pled guilty last week to misprision of a felony for their role in the money laundering offenses.
All three defendants will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan on August 4, 2014 at 9:00 am. Gregory Griffin faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $1 million fine on each count of bank fraud, 20 years in prison and a $250,000 on each count of wire fraud, two years in prison and $250,000 fine on each count of aggravated identity theft, 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on each count of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He also faces the forfeiture of two vehicles and other property he purchased with the proceeds of his fraud scheme. Tiffany Griffin and Erica Griffin each face a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Gilbert and Jay Golden.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of storm victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at:
(866) 720-5721
You can also fax information to:
(225) 334-4707
or e-mail it to:
disaster@leo.gov
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
