SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Osceola, Mo., man and woman were indicted by a federal grand jury today for bank fraud and mail theft. These are additional charges in a case that originated when stolen mail was found by a state trooper who followed a trail of blood from a car accident.

            David M. Riili, 32, and Lindsey Scott, 23, both of Osceola, were charged in a 19-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Riili on Jan. 3, 2012, and adds Scott as a defendant as well as additional charges.

            Today’s indictment alleges that Riili and Scott were involved in a conspiracy from Sept. 13 to Nov. 22, 2011. They allegedly stole checks from business and residential mailboxes in the southwest Missouri area, then altered and forged these checks by adding their own names, or the names of other individuals, to the payee lines of the stolen checks. Riili then either cashed the checks, the indictment says, or deposited the checks into one of his accounts at three different banks. Riili allegedly withdrew the proceeds of the stolen checks by writing checks on the accounts, making debit card purchases on the accounts, or making cash withdrawals from the accounts.

            In addition to the conspiracy, Riili and Scott are charged with 14 counts of bank fraud related to separate instances in which stolen checks, totaling more than $37,834, were deposited into bank accounts. Riili and Scott are also charged with four counts of mail theft. They allegedly stole mail from victims in Springfield, Osceola, Reeds Spring, Mo., and Bolivar, Mo.

            According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were investigating a one-vehicle accident on Missouri Highway 76, near Indian Point Road in Stone County on Sept. 16, 2011. Riili’s vehicle had left the roadway and slid into the woods, where it struck a tree. Riili and Scott, a passenger, were transported by ambulance.

            A state trooper followed trails of blood from the vehicle into the woods. One of the blood trails led to a pile of leaves. The officer dug through the leaves and discovered an envelope full of checks that were made out to different businesses. The trooper also found a large trash bag that contained stolen mail from different areas throughout southwest Missouri.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee.
It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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