WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK – In a brazen scheme, LATOYA ROBINSON, 29, of the Bronx, and DASHAWN JOHNSON, 25, of Manhattan, allegedly used a technique called ‘forced posting’ to take advantage of a security feature of the debit card processing system, swindling merchants out of nearly $1 million in fraudulent merchandise charges. Defendant TANYA HATWOOD, 27, of the Bronx, remains at large.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed a complaint charging ROBINSON, JOHNSON, and HATWOOD with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
According to the complaint, the defendants used fictitious codes to take the card reader offline, overriding the denial message and verifying the transaction. This allowed them to take advantage of the debit card processing system, which was designed to protect merchants from fraudulent transactions.
Bank records and interviews with over 30 merchants show that the defendants, together and separately, performed forced posting on dozens of occasions, scheming to take or attempt to take over $900,000 in merchandise.
The FBI, along with the Yonkers Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Nassau County Police Department, investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the agencies involved.
ROBINSON and JOHNSON were arrested and presented before United States Magistrate Lisa Margaret Smith on May 24, 2023. HATWOOD remains at large and is considered a fugitive. The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
The case highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting against fraudulent schemes and the need for law enforcement agencies to work together to bring perpetrators to justice.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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