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Billings Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Scheme
BILLINGS — Jonathan Cleve Brien, a 43-year-old Billings man, has admitted to a scheme in which he defrauded the Crow Tribe by receiving checks from the tribe’s payroll account, forging the payees and having the payees cash the checks, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said Thursday.
Brien pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided over the proceedings, and a sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.
The government alleged that in May 2019, Brien received checks from the Crow Tribe payroll account and forged the payees on the checks. He had those people cash the checks at various entities. A cooperator involved in methamphetamine in Billings admitted to law enforcement that they were involved in a check fraud scheme and that Brien informed them that he had access to a Crow Tribe account, which allegedly contained millions of dollars.
On two occasions, Brien brought the cooperator a signed Crow Tribe payroll check made payable to them in the amount of approximately $900. The cooperator deposited one of the checks into a personal bank account but withdrew most of the money as cash and split the money with Brien. The cooperator subsequently cashed the second check at a bank and again gave most of the cash to Brien.
Brien initially denied knowledge of the checks, then admitted to receiving the Crow Tribe payroll checks and giving them to various people who were involved with him in using meth. He made the checks for about $900 because he thought tribe’s payroll account would have $900 in it and that it would be less suspicious if he kept the amount under $1,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, and the Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Brien was detained pending further proceedings.
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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