HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Hollywood police announced the arrests of four people Friday who are accused of participating in an elaborate identity fraud and money laundering scheme targeting banks and COVID-19 pandemic relief funds over a two-year span.
Detectives said in a news release that Patrick Ductant, 35, of Pembroke Pines, Kervens Saint-Hilaire, 35, of Hollywood, and Vladimir Saint-Hilaire, 35, of Hollywood, are facing felony charges that include conspiracy, bank and wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
Authorities said Terri Shana Davis, 35, is also facing charges of conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses.
According to investigators, from October 2019 through May 2021, the suspects unlawfully obtained and used personally identifiable information of unknowing victims to apply for and receive bank loans, open bank accounts, acquire credit and debit cards and conduct financial transactions.
Detectives said the scheme also included purchasing high-end vehicles, as well as shipping them overseas.
After the investigation revealed a larger fraud ring, Hollywood police detectives reached out to the Broward Sheriff's Office's Money Laundering Task Force to assist with the case.
If convicted, Ductant faces up to 256 years in prison, Kervens Saint-Hilaire faces up to 260 years in prison, Vladimir Saint-Hilaire faces up to 216 years in prison, and Davis faces up to 34 years in prison.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by visiting the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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