New Haven Man Admits Role In Check Fraud Ring

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON KEY BENTLEY, 31, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith in Hartford to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2010 and May 2011, BENTLEY and two other individuals obtained stolen checks, recruited “runners” who cashed the checks, and altered the checks to list the runners as the lawful payees.  The three individuals drove the runners to several Connecticut bank branches and directed them to enter the banks and cash the checks.  The runners were paid a small part of the cash proceeds.  Through this scheme, 39 checks totaling $114,102.34 were altered and presented to banks, and 37 of those checks totaling $104,070.94 were cashed by the banks.

BENTLEY is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on November 26, 2014, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a fine of up to $1 million.

This matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with the Connecticut Financial Fraud Task Force and the Branford Police Department, Madison Police Department, Middlebury Police Department, Milford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, New Haven Police Department, New Milford Police Department, North Branford Police Department, Waterbury Police Department, Woodbridge Police Department, and Southbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov