Member of counterfeit savings bonds ring convicted

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 45-year-old California woman has pleaded guilty to conspiring to make, pass and transfer counterfeit U.S. savings bonds and passing counterfeit savings bonds.

Summer Marie Creech and others conspired to create counterfeit Department of the Treasury Series I savings bonds. They then passed the counterfeit bonds at financial institutions using other people’s identities and split the proceeds. 

As part of her plea, Creech admitted that beginning in or around 2019 she learned how to acquire genuine Series I savings bonds numbers. She then used computer software and printers to forge counterfeit bonds. She then sent the bonds to co-conspirators who would pass them at financial institutions and share the proceeds with her.

During the course of the conspiracy, Creech admitted she and others passed over $1.6 million in counterfeit Series I savings bonds.

U.S. District Judge Roland Olvera accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 20. At that time, Creech faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Creech was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

One of Creech’s co-conspirators, Daniel Alan Lewis, 58, California, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make, pass and transfer counterfeit U.S. securities and passing counterfeit U.S. securities. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 12.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service, Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David D. Hamstra of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.