News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
November 19, 2008
Coventry woman admits role in international
“wire-back” counterfeit check scheme
Nancy Alexander, of Coventry, pleaded guilty today to a federal fraud charge involving about $1.7 million in counterfeit checks and money orders. Alexander admitted that she produced fraudulent checks on her computer and was forwarding others that had been shipped to her from Nigeria. The objective of the scheme was to have recipients of the counterfeit checks wire back real money to the perpetrators of the scam.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the guilty plea, which Alexander entered before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi in U.S. District Court, Providence.
At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker said the government could prove that perpetrators of the scheme provided Alexander with information necessary to create and mail counterfeit checks, including payee names and addresses, check amounts, and counterfeit shipping labels. Alexander created on her home computer about 291 counterfeit checks, totaling $1.6 million in purported value, and shipped the counterfeit checks to intended victims throughout the United States. Unknown individuals then contacted the victims and tried to persuade them to deposit the counterfeit checks and wire some of the purported value to another account.
According to a Secret Service affidavit supporting a criminal complaint filed against Alexander in July, Customs agents in April intercepted a parcel addressed to Alexander that contained 119 counterfeit checks and money orders. The parcel had originated in Nigeria and had been shipped through France.
Agents interviewed victims and intended victims who had been sent the counterfeit checks and determined that they had been approached in several ways: one after she had posted a resume online, another who had advertised a pool heater for sale in a local newspaper, and another who had been seeking a work-from-home job. All were asked to cash checks of various amounts, keep some of the money, and wire the balance to other accounts. All the checks were later determined to be counterfeit, and victims lost money that they had wired back – in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. Other targets were more cautious, and either waited for the checks to clear – which they did not – or did not respond at all.
Alexander, 66, of Victory Highway, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. The maximum penalty is 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Alexander is free on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for April 3.
In addition to the Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Rhode Island State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Contact: 401-709-5032 Thomas.connell@usdoj.gov