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Operation Targeting Fake Checks Yields 1st Arrests

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2008

Pinellas County deputies have concluded the first phase of an operation involving counterfeit check-cashing rings they say created millions of dollars in losses to Florida banks.

Investigators arrested two men this afternoon.

Previously, authorities had begun rounding up more than 100 people they said were involved in the rings.

The two-year investigation, dubbed "Operation Check Mate," was described as the largest racketeering case of its kind conducted by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Seven other law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation.

About 2:30 p.m. today, investigators arrested 32-year-old Maurice Jackson and 28-year-old Darris Washington at 1511 E. 131st Ave., No. 106, in Tampa. Each was charged with racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Investigators say the operation's second phase will result in arrests within weeks.

Detectives have identified 350 counterfeit check transactions totaling more than $700,000. The counterfeit check-cashing rings started in Tampa and spread throughout the state, investigators said. The rings are thought to have been in operation since the early 1990s.

Investigators say this is how the check-cashing rings worked:

People known as "runners" cashed the counterfeit checks at Florida banks. In February 2007, authorities began surveillance on the runners and discovered that group leaders recruited runners to steal mail from business park mailboxes and to acquire identification cards for cashing the counterfeit checks.

The mail was stolen to obtain bank account information from business checks. Those checks and the stolen ID cards then were given to people known as "printers" who used the items to make counterfeit checks.

The runners were given the fake checks and IDs, driven to various banks by the co-leaders and given instructions on how to cash the checks. The runners always remained within sight of the co-leaders and spoke to them on cell phones. The runners were told how to conceal evidence -- such as fingerprints on the bogus checks.

When the runners left the bank, they gave the money to the co-leaders and were paid a small percentage in cash at the end of the day. The scheme was repeated throughout the day and on a daily basis.

Because of the scope of the scheme and the number of people involved, prosecutors have asked that the case be broken down into phases, investigators said. Each phase represents a bogus check group with its identified leaders, printers and runners. Authorities have uncovered six groups.

Washington and Jackson remain in Orient Road Jail. Jackson's bail hasn't been set; Washington's bail is $180,000.

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