Austin Weaver, Counterfeit Check Scheme, Massachusetts 2021

PROVIDENCE, RI – A ring of Georgia-based fraudsters preyed on the desperation of the homeless population in Providence and across New England, coercing vulnerable individuals into cashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in counterfeit checks. Four men – Cortavious Benford, 27, of Atlanta; Michael Williams, 27, of Atlanta; Austin Weaver, 27, of Decatur; and Jalen Ronald Stanford, 28, of East Point – have now been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in the elaborate scheme.

The operation, spanning from October 2018 to February 2021, saw the quartet creating counterfeit business checks, typically for $2,000 or more, and offering homeless individuals a paltry $100 to cash them at banks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. The Secret Service investigation revealed a total of $677,687 in fraudulent checks were presented, resulting in actual financial losses of nearly $481,000 to banks.

The scheme began to unravel on February 5, 2021, when Williams and Benford allegedly threatened a homeless man with physical harm if he didn’t hand over the full proceeds from a counterfeit check cashed at a Providence bank. The man, while still inside the bank, bravely identified the vehicle outside as belonging to his recruiters. Providence Police swiftly apprehended Williams and Benford, discovering $12,000 in cash in their possession.

A subsequent search of a Providence residence used by the four men uncovered a sophisticated check-printing operation: a computer with check-design software, a printer, blank check stock, and an envelope stuffed with stolen checks and another $5,000 in cash. Weaver and Stanford were later apprehended, bringing the entire conspiracy to light.

Each of the defendants was convicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. handed down the following sentences: Cortavious Benford received 24 months in federal prison; Austin Weaver, 30 months; Jalen Ronald Stanford, 24 months; and Michael Williams, the longest sentence at 41 months. All four have been ordered to jointly pay restitution totaling $480,943.71.

Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker prosecuted the case, with crucial assistance from the Providence, RI, and Medway, MA, Police Departments, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case serves as a stark reminder of how easily vulnerable populations can be exploited for financial gain, and the dedication of law enforcement to bring these predators to justice.”

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