5 Accused Of Trying To Steal $420K From Peachtree Corners Bank

PEACHTREE CORNERS — Five people are facing RICO charges after being accused of trying to steal $420,000 from a well-known bank, Gwinnett County Police said Wednesday.

Police said Mathaniel Worthy, 34, acted as the group's leader. Worthy was accused of coordinating, transporting and facilitating the money thefts and laundering.

Also charged were Carlos Garcia, 50, of Marietta, John Barber, 59, of Dunwoody, Mercedes Watson, 33, of Morrow, and Tyler Felty, 32, of Goshen, Indiana.

Police said Garcia and Barber tried on May 18 to transfer $250,000 from a business account at a Peachtree Parkway bank in Peachtree Corners. The two used illegal identifying information, with one of the two men identifying himself as a recycling business owner, police said.

However, the transfer was stopped during a security check, police said.

While investigating, police said they learned of another incident on May 5 during which $170,000 was illegally acquired at the same bank. Felty was identified as the suspect in this case, police said.

Felty was accused of transferring the money to an account belonging to Watson.

"Each of the individuals involved in the investigation participated in racketeering activity for the purpose of furthering the criminal enterprise. As a result of the investigation, 29 arrest warrants were obtained," police said in a news release.

Per police, the group was charged on suspicion of violation of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, records and reports of currency transactions (money laundering), theft by deception, conspiracy to commit a felony and identity fraud.

Watson was not charged on suspicion of theft by deception but was charged on suspicion of theft by receiving, police said.