MIAMI, FL – Two South Florida men are trading sunshine for shadows after receiving hefty federal prison sentences for a brazen check fraud scheme that ripped off businesses and banks to the tune of $4.5 million. Jeremiah Wolliston, 23, and Keith Patrick, 38, both of West Palm Beach, learned their fate on June 13, facing years behind bars for their roles in the conspiracy.
Jeremiah Wolliston received the longer sentence: 168 months in federal prison. Keith Patrick will spend 72 months incarcerated. Both men pleaded guilty, admitting to their involvement in buying stolen business checks pilfered directly from the mail. The scheme, active between December 2022 and May 2024, relied on altering those stolen checks and depositing them into accounts opened under false pretenses.
Court documents detail a calculated operation. Wolliston and Patrick weren’t just cashing checks; they were establishing fictitious corporations in both Florida and Georgia, brazenly using the names of their victims. These shell companies were used to open fraudulent bank accounts, serving as temporary holding pens for the stolen funds. The pair would deposit the altered checks and immediately begin draining the accounts through ATM withdrawals, counter transactions, wire transfers, and further check drafts – all designed to funnel the money to other conspirators.
“This wasn’t a petty theft,” said a source within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “This was a sophisticated, organized crime that preyed on legitimate businesses and financial institutions. The scale of the fraud is significant, and the sentences reflect the seriousness of their actions.” The $4.5 million in losses represents a substantial hit to the affected companies and highlights the growing threat of mail fraud in the digital age.
The takedown was a joint effort. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced the sentences. The investigation involved a multi-agency task force including USPIS, Homeland Security Investigations, the USPS Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the West Palm Beach Police Department, and the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld led the prosecution, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Hyman currently handling the asset forfeiture process – a move aimed at recovering as much of the stolen $4.5 million as possible. Further details on the case, including court documents, can be found on the websites of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls) and the District Court for the Southern District of Florida (www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, case number 24-CR-20440). The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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