Sarai Jamila Nyasha Freeman, U.S. Treasury Check Fraud, Oklahoma 2024

TULSA, Okla. – Sarai Jamila Nyasha Freeman, 41, of Aurora, Colorado, is headed to federal prison after a jury found her guilty of a brazen scheme involving the fraudulent cashing of U.S. Treasury checks using the identity of a deceased individual. The case, riddled with Freeman’s attempts to evade justice, culminated today with U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell handing down a 48-month imprisonment sentence, followed by three years of supervised release.

The fraud unfolded in 2020, when Freeman cashed two counterfeit checks in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, totaling $2,826. But this wasn’t a one-off incident. Federal prosecutors revealed the Sand Springs activity was part of a multi-state operation stretching from Louisiana to Colorado, with Freeman also successfully defrauding financial institutions in Missouri and Arkansas. Freeman was indicted in July 2024 on two counts of Passing and Uttering Counterfeit Obligations and Securities, two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Failure to Appear for her initially scheduled trial in December 2024.

The court also ordered Freeman to pay $2,826 in restitution. However, Freeman’s attempts to avoid accountability didn’t end with the initial fraud. Despite being granted pretrial release and even provided a plane ticket to facilitate her travel for the December trial, she simply didn’t show up. The U.S. Marshal Service tracked her down in Colorado, bringing her into custody to finally face the music.

This wasn’t Freeman’s first dance with the law. Records show that three months before the U.S. Treasury check scheme, she was arrested and charged in state court for cashing *four other* fraudulent checks. And, mirroring her federal case, she skipped a court date after being released on state bond, prompting the issuance of bench warrants for her arrest. A clear pattern of disrespect for the judicial process emerged throughout the proceedings.

The investigation, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Wal-Mart Global Investigations, revealed the scope of Freeman’s deceptive practices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple and Charles Greenough skillfully prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and subsequent sentencing.

Freeman remains in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Her case serves as a stark reminder that exploiting the identities of the deceased and attempting to game the system will ultimately lead to federal prosecution and a lengthy prison term. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on further developments as they unfold.

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