Leader of Mail Fraud Scam Gets 4 Years In Federal Prison
According to a press release from the US Attorney General’s office, the mastermind behind a huge mail fraud scam in upstate South Carolina has been sentenced to four years in federal prison.
Gaffney, SC resident Tasha N. Rendon led the mail fraud scam, which included 19 other co-conspirators. In February of this year, 13 of the defendants pled guilty to mail theft and fraud in the federal court of South Carolina, in Greenville.
Evidence presented at the defendants’ plea hearing illustrated a conspiracy that operated in upstate South Carolina from May 2011 to December 2012. The defendants stole mail, altered checks from the stolen mail, and made counterfeit checks based on personal information discovered in the stolen mail. More c-conspirators were recruited to open bank accounts to deposit counterfeit checks, and then other co-conspirators withdrew the money before the mail and bank fraud could be detected. Although the defendants occasionally used stolen identities to cash the checks, most of the time they used their own identities and social security numbers when cashing checks at various locations.
Hundreds of South Carolina residents has their mail and their identities stolen over the course of the conspiracy, and the mail fraud and check fraud activities netted the defendants more than $900,000. According to the investigation, a portion of that money was used to buy methamphetamine.
Over the course of the trial, Rendon was revealed to be the mail fraud’s ringleader. She actively stole mail, counterfeited checks, and recruited members to join the mail fraud and check fraud. In addition to her 48-month prison sentence, Rendon as ordered to pay $77,000 restitution.
Three other co-conspirators were sentenced on Tuesday, May 14th. They received sentences between 10 months and 2 years, and were ordered to pay a few thousand dollars in restitution. Sixteen other defendants have pled guilty since the trial began.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
Mail Fraud Defense in South Carolina
The United States Code criminalizes, “any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses” involving the U.S. Mail system.
The problem with an allegation of mail fraud is that each act committed in a post office of taking out or putting in a letter that furthers the scheme, is a distinct and separate violation. Accordingly, with a mass mailing, hundreds of violations may have been committed.
To secure a conviction of mail fraud, the government must establish that you used the US Postal System “for the purpose of executing” a fraudulent scheme. To prove their case, the government only needs to prove that the mailing was incidental to an essential part of the scheme.
The Strom Law Fir Defends Against Mail Fraud Allegations
As a former U.S. Attorney, Pete Strom handled these types of criminal fraud cases, from RICO violations to mail fraud and bank fraud. If you have been charged with mail fraud contact the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the most effective defense to your case and how to avoid further personal and professional damage. We handle your case with utmost discretion, exploring every viable strategy to secure a most favorable outlook.
