The suspect ordered fake checks and cashed them before the bank found out what was going on
On April 6, 2026 Desmond McKelvey, 44, was sentenced to 54 months in prison for a bank fraud scheme involving stolen checks.
According to court filings, from June to September 2023, McKelvey and his co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions through a scheme involving stolen checks, including U.S. Treasury checks.
McKelvey and others obtained the stolen checks online or through other means, and then used fictitious identification in the names of the victims to whom the checks were payable to open bank accounts.
McKelvey then deposited the stolen checks and withdrew the funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud. The total face value of checks associated with the conspiracy exceeded $900,000.
On June 13, 2025, McKelvey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. A judge ordered that he serve around 4 years in prison.
