14 Indicted in $373 Million Bank Account Takeover Scheme; Alleged Ringleader Arrested at JFK Airport Gate
In Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on November 3 that a federal grand jury has indicted 14 defendants for allegedly orchestrating a nationwide bank account takeover conspiracy targeting accounts holding more than $373 million, on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The 22-count indictment was returned on August 26 and unsealed after a key co-defendant was arrested in Florida.
Prosecutors identify the alleged ringleader as Muhamed Dieye, 35, of Dallas, known by aliases including "MJ" and "JayJay." They say Dieye possessed a spreadsheet with detailed personal and business information for nearly 3,000 victims whose bank accounts collectively held over $373 million. From July 2023 through November 2024, the group allegedly obtained personal identifying information, produced counterfeit identification, impersonated victims, carried out SIM swaps and intercepted security codes, using corrupt insiders at banks and telecommunications companies to bypass authentication at institutions including Truist, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase; the indictment also cites an attempted $2 million transfer to an overseas bank.
Prosecutors say Dieye and his family vacated their Dallas residence, shipped most of their possessions to Kenya and traveled to New York for a one-way flight to Malaysia, where federal agents arrested him at the gate at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He has since been transported to the Northern District of Texas, where he and several co-defendants remain in federal custody pending trial. The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries up to 30 years in prison. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部大楼，位于华盛顿特区。图片来源：GSM 固定图库。 / Photo: The U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C. Source: GSM asset library.
