PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A predatory scheme that preyed on the desperation of homeless individuals in Rhode Island and across New England has seen its fourth member admit guilt. Cortavious Benford, 28, of Atlanta, GA, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, adding another chapter to a case that exposed a callous disregard for human dignity in pursuit of illicit profit.
Federal prosecutors revealed the scope of the operation, detailing how Benford, along with Austin Weaver, 26, of Decatur, GA, Jalen Ronald Stanford, 28, of East Point, GA, and Michael Williams, 27, of East Point, GA, systematically recruited vulnerable individuals, offering them a pittance – between $100 and $200 – to cash bogus business checks. These checks weren’t just errors; they were meticulously crafted counterfeits, created using stolen banking information from legitimate businesses. The operation spanned multiple states, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine.
The scam worked by providing the recruited individuals with the fraudulent checks and driving them to banks. They were instructed to use their identification – a Rhode Island ID or driver’s license – to cash the checks, then hand over the proceeds to the conspirators. The greed of the crew was ultimately their downfall. On February 5, 2021, Benford and Williams were arrested after attempting to strong-arm a homeless man into handing over the full amount of a counterfeit check he’d successfully cashed at a Providence bank. The victim, however, bravely alerted bank staff to the vehicle containing his exploiters.
Providence Police, responding to the bank’s alert, quickly located the vehicle and apprehended Benford and Williams, discovering a staggering $12,000 in cash inside. A subsequent raid on a Providence residence, conducted by Providence Police and the U.S. Secret Service, unearthed the operation’s nerve center: a computer running check-design software, a printer, blank check stock, and an envelope filled with stolen checks and another $5,000 in cash. Digital evidence on the computer revealed numerous completed fraudulent checks, painting a clear picture of the scale of the conspiracy.
While Benford, Weaver, and Stanford are awaiting sentencing, Michael Williams has already been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, handed down by U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. on February 16, 2022. The investigation revealed the crew attempted to cash approximately $677,687 worth of counterfeit checks, resulting in losses of approximately $480,000 to financial institutions across the region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker is prosecuting the case.
The arrests of Benford, Weaver, Stanford, and Williams mark a significant blow to this particularly exploitative form of fraud, but it serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by those living on the margins and the willingness of criminals to capitalize on their desperation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to investigate potential connections to other fraudulent activities.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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