Greenfield Man Charged In 'Wide-Sweeping Fraud Operation': Complaint

RACINE, WI — A Greenfield man is facing over 80 charges in Racine County as police suspect him of organizing a "wide-sweeping fraud operation" against a credit union based in Mount Pleasant, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

Devontae L. Cash, 22, was charged with fraud against a financial institution, bail jumping, organizing financial crimes, attempting fraud against a financial institution and identity theft, online court records show. Of the dozens of charges against Cash, there are 21 modified as a party to a crime.

Cash and eight other co-defendants were named in a 36-page criminal complaint detailing an operation lasting months that, according to police, caused Mount Pleasant-based Educator's Credit Union to lose over $30,000.

If Cash is convicted of the over 30 misdemeanor charges and over 50 felony charges the state is accusing him of — and if sentenced consecutively — Cash's charges could add up to a maximum of over 400 years in prison, according to the complaint and online records. A preliminary hearing in the case was set for June 22.

An investigator from Mount Pleasant assigned to the case described the scheme as "card cracking" in the complaint.

In a card cracking scheme, prosecutors explained, an account holder deposits a check through a mobile app, and the funds are made immediately available. But when the bank or credit union processes the check, it comes back as fraudulent, insufficient funds or "account closed," leaving the institution at a loss.

The investigator searched Snapchat and Facebook accounts under Cash's name, and found several statements about fraud, including references to card cracking, the complaint said. The officer also found several "advertisements" in which Cash said Educator's Credit Union account holders could "Get $500-$1000 instant," according to the complaint.

Cash told people through his Facebook account about his "job" loading bank accounts with deposits and then splitting the money with account holders, the complaint said.

Police said they used distinct tattoos and clothing to identify Cash and connect him to the fraudulent transactions.

According to the complaint, the general structure of Cash's scheme was split into three parts between August 2020 and January 2021.

1. First, Cash would find account holders and obtain their account information with the claim of earning them extra money, the complaint said.
2. Next, Cash used the first round of account holders' information to order checks to his home, writing numerous such checks for fraudulent purposes, according to the complaint.
3. Third, Cash or a recruiter would find another round of Educator's Credit Union account owners under the same "rouse" of earning extra money, the complaint said. These account holders would give out their account information, and the worthless checks would be deposited into their accounts through a mobile app, the complaint said. As soon as the checks were deposited, someone would withdraw funds from an ATM, and only later would the credit union discover their loss, according to the complaint.

The complaint details several rounds of the supposed scheme where Educator's Credit Union told police it lost thousands of dollars.

Empty Checks, Promises Of Fast Cash

Alongside account activity reported by the credit union, the complaint showed conversations on social media about the scheme. Police attribute the conversations to Cash.

One interaction detailed by the complaint happened on Aug. 16, 2020. Police provided excerpts from the conversation they say Cash had with an unidentified credit union account owner through Facebook messages.

"How much money would be on my account?" the account holder asked Cash, according to police.

"$500 then the rest comes later. Which will be all yours," Cash messaged the account holder, police say.

"Can’t do it without flash cash," Cash said, according to the complaint.

"Yes that’s when u take a pic of the check right?" the account holder responded. Cash messaged them about going to an ATM, and mentioned their bank card, according to the complaint.

"So all I’m doin is putting depositing a check into my account and giving u 500," the account holder told Cash, according to police.

The same day, just before 6 p.m., a check for $2000 was deposited into the person's account through the Educator Credit Union's mobile app, the complaint said.

Within 15 minutes, two withdrawals were made from the account, about $260, according to the complaint. The account's owner later repaid the funds to the credit union, meaning there was no loss.

According to police, the account owner had messaged Cash: "This not fraud is it."

Cash is charged with fraud against financial institution in connection with the bank activity and conversation of that day, according to the complaint.

On Wednesday, the court set cash bond for the accused at $10,000 with conditions of house arrest with GPS monitoring, online records showed. He may only be released to attend court, visit his attorney, or for medical appointments.

Cash's listed attorney, Annette E. Rauch, did not respond to Patch's request for comment sent on Wednesday.

Eight other people named in the complaint are also accused in Racine, online court records show:

• Lauryn Mason, 21, of Milwaukee, charged with one count of fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Demetrius Q Wilson, 22, of Milwaukee, charged with one count of fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Deanterrio T King, 21, of Milwaukee, charged with one count of fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Ashley N Kruszwicki, 34, of West Allis, charged with one count of attempted fraud against financial institution and one count of fraud against financial institution, both as a party to a crime.
• Araceli Vazquez, 22, of Greenfield, charged with fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Alfred B Williams, 21, of Milwaukee, charged with fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Abraham J Scott, 20, of Zion, Illinois, charged with fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.
• Kameron J Simpson, 30, of Racine, charged with fraud against financial institution as a party to a crime.