Benjamin Easley, Bank Fraud, Pennsylvania 2011

Bank Fraud Scheme Rocks Pennsylvania as Four New Defendants are Charged

A superseding indictment filed yesterday has added four people to a multi-year bank fraud and identity theft scheme, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Benjamin Easley, 36, of Darby, PA, Jonathan Weeks, 42, of Upper Marlboro, NJ, Roderic Grady, 23, and Martina Grady, 25, both of New Castle, DE, were added to an indictment charging Derrick Floyd, 36, of Philadelphia, and Cynthia Nowicki, 47, of Eagleville, PA.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft in a scheme involving numerous individuals, to defraud banks such as PNC Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, TD Bank, Republic Bank, and Wachovia Bank.

Using the stolen account information of a PNC Bank customer, the indictment alleges that the defendants made fraudulent withdrawals from the victim bank account and transferred the money to a TD Bank account set up by Derrick Floyd. Floyd then visited multiple TD Bank branches between October 4, 2011, and October 7, 2011, making large withdrawals.

It is further alleged that these defendants conspired with Shaun Mays, Laddis Taylor, and Norman Ross, all charged elsewhere, in obtaining or attempting to obtain more than $400,000 through fraudulent withdrawals and wire transfers involving at least seven victim bank accounts.

If convicted, Benjamin Easley faces a maximum possible sentence of 175 years in prison and a fine of up to $7.75 million; Cynthia Nowicki faces a maximum possible sentence of 67 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.5 million; Jonathan Weeks, Roderic Grady, and Martina Grady each face a maximum possible sentence of 37 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.5 million; and Derrick Floyd faces a maximum possible sentence of 35 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.25 million.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.

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