GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Mark Kidd, of Allendale, Michigan, was sentenced to 27 months incarceration and ordered to pay $24, 800 in restitution for his participation in a Nigerian check fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. The Honorable Robert Holmes Bell rendered the sentence, which also included an order that Kidd spend two years on court supervision following his release from prison and pay $100 in special assessments. The Judge commented at sentencing that the prison term for Kidd, “should be a signal to [other] individuals considering becoming involved in such internet frauds.”

In June 2006, Kidd was found by Homeland Security Investigations in possession of $371,000 in counterfeit checks. At that time, Customs and Border Protection also intercepted a package addressed to Kidd containing $394,000 in counterfeit checks. The subsequent investigation revealed Kidd had been participating in a check fraud scheme since approximately 2004 and that, as part of the scheme, Kidd cashed multiple counterfeit checks at various financial institutions in the West Michigan Area, including a $24,800 counterfeit U.S. Treasury check. Kidd also received many packages containing counterfeit checks, which he then distributed throughout the United States.

The case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis.

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