Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Identity Theft & Bank Fraud Scheme

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg dropped a bombshell in Jacksonville, Florida, announcing that Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia) has copped to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The heavy-hitting charge carries a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison, with a minimum mandatory two-year sentence for the identity theft count, plus restitution to the victims swindled out of their hard-earned cash.

Robinson, currently serving a sentence for parole violation related to fraud, made his grim entrance into federal court on November 3, 2022. The Georgia State Prison sent him straight to trial after he was nabbed with counterfeit documents and high-tech phones in the trunk of his car, according to the plea agreement.

Back in 2019, a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy found more than just a cracked windshield. They unearthed a treasure trove of stolen identities, from fake Social Security cards to genuine credit cards and multiple phones. A deep dive into Robinson’s iPhone revealed chilling text messages with co-defendant Kiana Fina Alphonse plotting to set up phony business bank accounts using false documents for fictitious companies.

Law enforcement sleuths traced the scheme back to 2019 when Robinson and Alphonse, now facing her own day in court set for March 2023, stole personal information from multiple victims. They crafted counterfeit licenses with stolen photos and set up bank accounts under false pretenses. The money they raked in from online car purchases was funneled into their pockets.

Alphonse’s trial date looms as an ominous shadow over the Robinson case, both of them facing serious charges that could reshape their futures. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein is leading the prosecution, with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office providing the backbone of the investigation.

Remember, an indictment is just a charge, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty in court.

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