Florida Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Telegram-based Bank Fraud Scheme that Targeted Alabama Businesses

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Florida man has been sentenced for his role in a Telegram-based check fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.

U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced Gabriel Samuel Odiot, 21, of Kissimmee, Florida, to 60 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $84,000. In December 2024, Odiot pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from August 2022 to March 2023, Odiot served as an administrator of “RICH OFF PLAYS,” a Telegram channel dedicated to the negotiation of fraudulent checks. Odiot used the channel to recruit mail carriers, to advertise the services of bank insiders, and to collaborate with others to commit bank fraud. He frequently posted pictures and videos of himself committing bank fraud on the channel. These included pictures and videos depicting stolen checks, transaction receipts, and large amounts of cash. In many cases, the pictures and videos were branded with Odiot’s nickname “Motion.”

The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Heflin Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter prosecuted the case.