Christie Easter, Mystery Shopper Fraud, TX 2024

Newport News, Va. – In a stunning turn of events, Christie Easter, 47, from Fort Worth, Texas, and Toheeb Odoffin, 28, of Chicago, each found themselves at the wrong end of the law today as they pleaded guilty to their roles in an extensive Mystery Shopper Fraud Scheme.

According to court documents, a national and international investigation initiated by federal law enforcement in 2012 uncovered a conspiracy that originated from Nigeria. Participants, including Easter and Odoffin, lured unsuspecting individuals across the U.S. into the fraudulent scheme, offering them roles as ‘Mystery Shoppers.’ These recruits were sent counterfeit financial instruments to evaluate money transmission services like Western Union and Money Gram.

Once the victims responded to the email solicitation, their personal information was used to create fake cashier’s checks or Postal money orders. The schemers then sent these counterfeits to the Mystery Shoppers, who were instructed to cash them at their own banks, keeping a portion for ‘services.’ The majority of the funds were then wired by the victims to conspirators, who further distributed the fraudulent proceeds.

Easter and Odoffin each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Both face a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, with a maximum penalty of 32 years, as dictated by Congress. The actual sentences will be determined by the court based on Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The charges were announced following the plea agreement’s acceptance by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and Megan M. Cowles are handling the prosecution of this case, which has garnered significant attention in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk; Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and George Purefoy, Resident Agent in Charge of the Norfolk Resident Office, U.S. Secret Service, were among those who made the announcement.

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