Goodyear Man Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Prison for Check Theft Scheme

PHOENIX, Ariz. – In a shocking revelation, a Goodyear man has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for masterminding a massive check theft scheme in Arizona.

Cory Jermaine White, Jr., 31, of Goodyear, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, 2024 by United States District Michael T. Liburdi to 108 months in prison and ordered to pay $8,446,858.31 in restitution. White pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024 to conspiracies to commit bank and wire fraud, and money laundering.

According to court documents, White’s multi-year scheme involved several steps. First, a co-conspirator would steal a parcel of mail containing a legitimate check meant for a legitimate business. A second co-conspirator would then incorporate a sham entity using the same name as the legitimate company to whom the check was made out (often in another state to avoid detection). Using the sham corporate registration documents, co-conspirators would next open a corporate bank account in the name of the sham entity to deposit the stolen check. Finally, after the stolen check was deposited into the newly-opened bank account for the sham entity, the co-conspirators would quickly liquidate the funds and distribute the funds amongst themselves.

The FBI Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.

“White stole nearly $8.5 million in checks meant for legitimate businesses and used the money for lavish expenditures,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine, “His actions not only impacted the victims but also undermined the integrity of our financial systems. Let this case serve as a reminder that crime does not pay, and that we will do whatever we can to uphold the law and safeguard our communities.”

“The fact this defendant and his co-conspirators would think that stealing business checks from the U.S. Mail and scheming ways to deposit them for their own use is mind-boggling,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The defendant conspired with others with total disregard for the consequences. Financial crimes have long been a staple of the FBI’s investigative efforts, and we will continue to meticulously investigate any and all fraudsters in pursuit of our mission of protecting the American people.”

White’s co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to varying years in prison. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of financial crimes and the importance of upholding the law to safeguard our communities.

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