Baltimore, Maryland – A Perry Hall man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the City of Baltimore of $70,000. Robert Johnson, 33, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to serve 75 hours of community service, for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
Johnson worked in the Consumer Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He conspired with Denita Hill, an accountant in the Finance Department of the City of Baltimore, to request fraudulent employee benefit payout checks. Hill identified individuals who had received and cashed large lump sum payments and then requested that such checks be reissued, as if they had not been received.
Hill delivered the checks to Johnson, endorsed to him and purportedly signed by the original payee. Johnson endorsed and cashed the checks, deposited the proceeds into his bank account and used the funds for his and Hill’s benefit. For example, on July 11, 2013, Johnson deposited a check fraudulently endorsed to Johnson with the victim’s forged signature, and made out to the victim in the amount of $14,741.09. On July 31, 2013, Johnson deposited a check made out to a second victim in the amount of $58,485.91.
The scheme was uncovered when Johnson attempted to wire some of the funds to pay off an account at a different financial institution, and his bank was alerted to the suspicious transactions. The City of Baltimore Office of the Inspector General sought the assistance of the Finance Department in determining the authenticity of the endorsements, and Hill was tasked with the investigation. However, Hill attempted to derail the investigation and obtain release of the funds by the bank by claiming to have spoken with the check recipients, who purportedly confirmed that the endorsements were genuine.
Johnson obtained funds from Hill to repay the amount due, after his bank had reversed the deposits and returned the funds to the City of Baltimore. Over the course of the conspiracy, Johnson and Hill fraudulently obtained approximately $70,000, all of which was ultimately recovered.
Denita Hill faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy; and two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, on each of two counts for aggravated identity theft. Judge George L. Russell III scheduled her sentencing for May 19, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Baltimore Office of Inspector General, Baltimore City Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their work in uncovering and prosecuting the scheme.
Johnson’s sentencing and the trial conviction were announced by United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein; Robert H. Pearre, Jr., Inspector General, City of Baltimore Office of Inspector General; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
Related Federal Cases
- Carmen Johnson, Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, False Statement, Maryland 2008 · Maryland
- Jimoh Babatunde Aderomilehin, Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2018 · Maryland
- Wanisha D. Coates, Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Maryland 2012 · New Hampshire
- Maxime Maiga, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2013 · Massachusetts
- McKenzie Marie Earley, $10M Wire Fraud, C.D. California, 2023 · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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