GRIMY NEWS ALERT: A dozen foreign nationals are facing federal charges for an alleged $1 million fraudulent checks scheme in Salt Lake City.
In a stunning turn of events, a federal grand jury has indicted eleven Venezuelan nationals and one Colombian national for bank fraud and transactions involving criminally derived property. The suspects, residents of Salt Lake County, were charged following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Salt Lake City Police Department.
According to court documents, the gang operated between January 2023 and June 2023, opening accounts and depositing multiple counterfeit checks at various bank branches. In some cases, they processed these checks on the same day, demonstrating a brazen level of organization. The funds were then laundered through check, cashier’s check, and cash withdrawals.
The defendants include Gilberto Emiro Andrade-Romero, 36; Felipe Enrique Linares-Lobo, 32; Alexis Jose Calixto-Bracho, 25; Daniel Jose Fuenmayor-leal, 34; Yeritza Astrid Cuello-Plata, 40; Federico Javier Gutierrez-Pirela, 36; Hendry Ricardo Martinez-Concho, 42; Cristina Paola Nava-Yoris, 24; Patricia Del Carmen Orozco-Cuello, 37; Ismael Norberto Rodriguez-Moreno, 47; Jorge Luis Urribarri-Vento, 32; and Rayner Jose Delgado-Quiroz, 24.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah announced the charges, emphasizing that this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations and protecting communities from violent crime. Assistant United States Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. Lesueur will be prosecuting the case.
Remember, an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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