Keyonte Bronson, Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Ohio 2022

CINCINNATI – A sophisticated scheme to drain bank accounts across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky has landed seven individuals in federal prison, with four more sentenced this week. The operation, which ran from 2018 until August 2020, resulted in losses exceeding $800,000 for Fifth Third Bank, and exploited vulnerable individuals for profit.

Keyonte Bronson, 27, of Cincinnati, was handed the stiffest sentence: 30 months behind bars. Juan Leonard, also of Cincinnati, received the same 30-month sentence. Diamond Brocks and Kelliele Berry, both Cincinnati residents, received time served and supervised release. These sentences follow those of Marcus Knox (30 months) and Gregory Palmer (30 months), and Kinesha Cavitt (12 months and one day). A total of eleven individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.

The conspiracy hinged on inside access. Five of the defendants were customer service representatives at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati. They were allegedly recruited via social media, incentivized to identify customers with significant cash balances. These employees then stole and provided sensitive account information to co-conspirators, effectively selling out their customers for personal gain.

The stolen information was then exploited by “runners” – often individuals struggling with homelessness or addiction – who were provided with forged identification cards bearing their photo and the name of the account holder. These runners were dispatched to Fifth Third branches to withdraw funds. In a chilling detail, co-conspirators reportedly took runners to thrift stores to purchase clothing that better matched the appearance of the victim whose identity they were assuming. Drivers transported the runners to and from the banks, ensuring the operation ran smoothly.

Each successful withdrawal netted the runners a meager cut, typically a small payment after extracting between $3,000 and $8,000 from the compromised accounts. The operation was brazen, and the scale of the financial damage considerable. Despite the losses, Fifth Third Bank is being credited with proactive security measures and cooperation with law enforcement, which helped bring the scheme to light.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentences handed down by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Parker praised the collaborative investigation led by the U.S. Secret Service, alongside the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Department, Drug Abuse Reduction Taskforce (DART), and Cincinnati Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is prosecuting the case. The Grimy Times will continue to follow developments in this case as additional defendants are brought to justice.”

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