The Grimy Times has uncovered a brazen tax scam scheme orchestrated by Baltimore resident Dolapo Lawal, 33, who pleaded guilty to federal charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft on May 8, 2024.
Lawal’s scheme involved trafficking and using Green Dot Bank debit cards in the names of elderly victims, loading them with over $200,000 in tax refunds obtained through identity theft. The defendant would then send the cards to secure addresses throughout the US and withdraw the refunds in cash.
According to the guilty plea, Lawal’s involvement in the scheme can be broken down into two efforts. In the first instance, he trafficked and used 24 Green Dot Bank debit cards in the spring of 2022, conducting over 300 cash withdrawals and obtaining more than $80,000 in the preceding month.
On April 8, 2022, the Baltimore County Police Department lawfully stopped and searched Lawal’s Mercedes S-class sedan, finding approximately $18,900 in cash and the 24 debit cards in a bag left under his seat. Lawal admitted to officers on the scene that the bag belonged to him.
In the second instance, Lawal possessed over 300 additional unique Green Dot Bank debit cards in his home on or about June 21, 2023. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Lawal’s residence, finding a box containing the cards and a photograph of several cards on Lawal’s iPhone, along with portions of the packaging for each card.
The total amount of fraudulent tax refund claims associated with these cards was over $3 million. Lawal’s offenses furthered a scheme to defraud the United States of over $3 million.
Lawal faces a maximum of 10 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release for access device fraud, as well as a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years in prison for aggravated identity theft, which will run consecutive to the access device fraud sentence, followed by up to 1 year of supervised release.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-372-8311.
Related Federal Cases
- Ramon Ingram Sentenced for Baltimore Bank Fraud Scheme · Maryland
- 74-Year-Old Baltimore Man Sentenced For $200K Social Security Embezzlement Scam · Maryland
- Ebensburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Scheme · Maryland
- Tony Bryant, Son and Tarkara Cooper Guilty in $20M Tax Fraud Scheme · Maryland
- Baltimore Man Gets 42 Months for $655K Tax Fraud · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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