WILLIAMSPORT — The reputed ringleader of a prison group a federal prosecutor says scammed banks and credit score unions throughout the nation, together with Pennsylvania, has pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud.
James Harris-Bey, 51, of the Detroit space, admitted Friday in U.S. Center District Courtroom he scammed seven banks and credit score unions in northern Pennsylvania.
Phrases of the plea settlement require him to pay restitution totaling $218,182.
He’s one in all three folks indicted up to now in a scheme by which accounts at banks and credit score unions had been opened utilizing counterfeit lease agreements, payroll checks and incomes statements.
Assistant U.S. Legal professional Alisan V. Martin in outlining the federal government’s proof stated Harris-Bey and co-conspirators made deposits utilizing counterfeit checks he created that contained the names of fictitious companies.
Withdrawals then had been made at numerous branches the identical day earlier than the monetary establishments may reconcile the accounts.
On Oct. 25, 2019, withdrawals every for $1,552 had been made out of seven First Residents Neighborhood Financial institution branches after counterfeit checks had been deposited purportedly from Horizon Medical Residence Care.
Harris-Bey used girls posing as house healthcare nurses to withdraw funds.
Peter Douglas, 41, and Jaunea Waller-Bey, 36, each of Detroit, are also accused of taking people posing as touring house care nurses to banks. They’re awaiting trial on financial institution fraud fees.
Harris-Bey was arrested March 23 in Mississippi and stated throughout his arraignment he was headed to Arizona to be together with his spouse.
Martin disputed that declare, alleging he was going by Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee to focus on banks in these states.
Verify-printing software program was present in his car. Laptops and a printer had been seized and an evaluation of his cell telephones revealed he was directing the motion of co-conspirators, she stated.
The prison exercise with which Harris-Bey was charged started lower than three months after completion of an 80-month federal sentence in Ohio in an identical test cashing scheme by which he was required to make restitution of $765,112.
With some reluctance, Decide Matthew W. Brann launched Harris-Bey on private recognizance into the custody of his sister in Detroit with the warning if he took one step out of line he could be again in jail.
It will likely be simpler for Harris-Bey to deal with his diabetes-related medical points not being in jail, assistant public defender Gerald Lord argued.
Causes cited for preserving him detained till now included a major historical past of fraud convictions, plus fees of assault with the intent to commit homicide in 1990, offering false info to a police officer in 1994 and fleeing and eluding in 2006.
The Nationwide Crime Data Heart data listing 25 aliases and 6 dates of beginning for him.