United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

Dallas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison Without Parole
Following Counterfeiting and Identity Theft Conviction

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that Kodjovi “Marshall” Haden was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Dallas by the Honorable Jorge A. Solis, United States District Judge, to 132 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $292,400.00 in restitution. Haden was also ordered to forfeit one automobile and various equipment, including computer equipment, that he used in the scheme. Haden, a Dallas resident, originally from Togo, West Africa, was convicted by a federal jury on December 14 on all 12 counts of a superseding indictment alleging counterfeiting and identity theft.

U.S. Attorney Roper said, “I applaud Judge Solis in handing down this tough sentence on a defendant who blatantly exploited the U.S. financial system. This office takes counterfeiting and identity theft very seriously and we will use all resources possible to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who violates our counterfeiting and identity theft laws. Would be counterfeiters should take heed that counterfeiting U.S. money could land you in federal prison for a long, long time.” Roper continued, “I commend the United States Secret Service for their excellent work in this investigation and helping put this criminal behind bars for a very long time.”

Mark L. Lowery, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Office of the United States Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, said, "We take these financial crimes very seriously - just as prosecutors do. This defendant was arrogant in his criminal conduct and upon arrest and indictment, failed to cooperate with the government." Lowery continued, "Based upon that arrogance and lack of cooperation with the U.S. government and its laws, he got what he deserves and I salute the judicial system."

The government presented evidence during that trial that Haden was the organizer of a conspiracy to manufacture, possess and utter counterfeit securities, specifically counterfeit $100 VISA travelers’ checks, counterfeit bank cashier's checks (including one for more than $1,000,000 which was found in a FedEx envelope that was addressed to a bank in Malta), and counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks. Evidence showed that Haden manufactured the checks on his personal computer, procured IDs to be used by the check passers he recruited, provided advice to the check passers on how to avoid security and detection and then kept half of the proceeds for himself.

Law enforcement began investigating this counterfeiting group during the summer of 2004 when two of the check passers were chased out of a grocery store in Greenville, Texas, by an alert manager. The manager alerted police, who found the passers' vehicle and recorded a license plate number. Ultimately, one of the passers agreed to cooperate with law enforcement agents, and he identified Haden as the source of counterfeit travelers’ checks which the group was passing in numerous locations in the North Texas area.

Then, in April 2005, agents of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) conducted surveillance of a controlled delivery of 30 counterfeit travelers' checks by Haden to the cooperating co-defendant. Two days later, USSS executed search warrants at Haden’s apartment, vehicles and storage area which led to the discovery and seizure of compelling evidence that Haden was manufacturing counterfeit checks and altering Texas ID cards. Haden was arrested at that time and has been in custody since then. At the time of his arrest, Haden was in possession of five Texas driver’s licenses and ID cards which had been issued to other persons, providing the basis for the aggravated identity theft charge against him..

Three co-defendants charged in the conspiracy along with Haden have pled guilty to their involvement and have been sentenced.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Penley.

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