A South Florida resident has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for his involvement in an international scheme that stole millions of dollars from American consumers’ bank accounts. The sentencing was announced by the Justice Department.
Michael Young, 44, from Hollywood, Florida, received a 72-month sentence from United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi. In June 2025, Young pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
“Global criminal groups use U.S.-based individuals to exploit our nation’s banking system and launder money stolen from innocent victims,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “I applaud our law enforcement partners for helping to bring this criminal to justice. We must and shall be as relentless in using every legal tool available to punish these individuals.”
“This sentence holds accountable yet another member of a transnational criminal network that stole millions of dollars from unsuspecting Americans across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These schemes are designed to be difficult to detect – spanning multiple jurisdictions and relying on layers of conspirators to obscure their operations – making them especially harmful to victims who often do not realize they have been targeted until it is too late. With 22 defendants charged in four districts, this prosecution reflects the Criminal Division’s commitment to dismantle every layer of criminal enterprises that prey on Americans, no matter how far their operations reach.”
Court documents show that Young participated in a group that acquired lists containing banking information from payday loan applications and other sources. The group used this information to make unauthorized withdrawals from consumer accounts while falsely claiming the transactions were authorized. To hide their actions, members created shell companies and engaged in money laundering.
Young worked with a co-conspirator based in Southern California who managed domestic operations and helped coordinate activities such as obtaining lead lists, setting up U.S. bank relationships, and appointing nominal owners for shell entities. Young later repeated these methods independently for further profit.
A total of 22 people have been charged in connection with this case, with seven convictions so far.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Prosecutors included Assistant United States Attorney Monica E. Tait of the Major Frauds Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Wei Xiang and Meredith B. Healy.
The Department of Justice advises individuals to regularly check financial statements for unauthorized debits and report any suspicious activity either directly with their financial institution or through law enforcement channels such as the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling 877-FTC-HELP.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California plays a key role in prosecuting federal crimes like this one and also focuses on community outreach through victim assistance programs and public education initiatives (link). The office serves more than 19 million residents across seven counties (link) and works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners (link). E. Martin Estrada has served as United States Attorney for the district (link).
