Owner of nonprofit charged with bank fraud

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Andre J. Grier, 41, of Cleveland, for presenting stolen checks to a local bank and receiving money under false pretenses, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Grier presented seven stolen checks totaling more than $62,000 a local bank to be cashed, misrepresenting that his nonprofit organization, Hood 2 Hood, Inc., earned them through various false business ventures. This took place between December 2014 and January 2015, according to the indictment.

Assistant United States Attorney Karrie D. Howard is prosecuting the case, following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.

If convicted, the court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum.  In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.