Frank Dunkow, 52, of Wellington, has admitted to running a brazen bank fraud operation through Littman Jewelers at the Wellington Mall, where he served as store manager. Between June 2010 and March 2011, Dunkow directed employees to process high-end jewelry sales using counterfeit credit cards, racking up just under $400,000 in fraudulent charges.
Dunkow pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg to Count 5 of the Indictment, charging him with bank fraud under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2) (Case No. 17-CR-80192-CR-ROSENBERG). The scheme involved organized teams of buyers who would present multiple fake cards—often cycling through two, three, or more when the first was declined—until the transaction went through.
Investigators say the operation was methodical and repeated dozens of times over a nine-month period. Each sale followed the same pattern: individuals walked in, selected expensive jewelry, and relied on Dunkow’s cooperation to push through fraudulent payments. His role wasn’t passive—he actively instructed staff to override red flags and accept the counterfeit cards.
The fallout lands squarely on financial institutions, which absorbed nearly $400,000 in unrecoverable losses. The case was jointly uncovered by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office—agencies that traced the paper trail from plastic to prosecution.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, announced the plea and praised the investigative rigor of PBSO, USPIS, and USSS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Jorgensen and Alexandra Chase are handling the prosecution, which now heads toward sentencing, where Dunkow faces up to 30 years in prison and fines reaching $1 million.
Court records and related documents are available through the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or via PACER at pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. The case stands as a stark reminder: fraud at the register hits far beyond the storefront.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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