Related Federal Cases
Leader of Fake Check Scheme Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison
Cassie Ann Rathie, 32, of Billings, Montana, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for leading a fake check scheme in which she recruited local drug addicts to steal items with personal information from homes, vehicles, and mailboxes to help pass bogus checks across Montana. Rathie pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The scheme, which took place from November 2019 until about May 2020, involved Rathie instructing others to break into houses, vehicles, and mailboxes to obtain checks and other items with personal identifying information. The stolen checks were then altered and used to commit fraud at local businesses in Billings and throughout the state.
According to court documents, Rathie stole a box from a Billings hotel containing documents with personal identifying information from at least 39 people. She then used the stolen information to create fake driver's licenses and pass the checks at local businesses. Rathie would give individuals who stole the materials a cut of the proceeds.
Surveillance video recorded Rathie passing some of the fake checks, and a search of her residence found a large trove of fake identities, stolen documentation, computer, printers, and stolen checks. The loss calculated from checks passed by Rathie was $17,609.
Rathie was allowed to self-report to prison and will be followed by three years of supervised release. Two co-defendants, Taylor Thomas Nelson and Quinn Henry Jessen, are pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Billings Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson praised the efforts of the investigative team, saying, "This type of criminal behavior exploits the fringes of our justice system. It is dangerous enough to get someone killed, yet it is not serious enough to warrant significant local incarceration. Fortunately, the misuse of personal identification can be prosecuted under federal law resulting in mandatory terms of incarceration."
The case is a significant innovation in the battle against violent crime in Yellowstone County and elsewhere in Montana, according to Johnson. Rathie's sentence serves as a reminder that the misuse of personal identification can have serious consequences and will be prosecuted under federal law.
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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