An aspiring Los Angeles-area rapper was arrested on Wednesday and charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar cheque-cashing scheme, according to the US Department of Justice.
Ada William Obayuwana of Quartz Hill, who goes by "ColdheartedAC" and "AC," and two others were charged in a 25-count federal grand jury indictment alleging that they illegally possessed more than 50 stolen US Treasury cheques and hundreds of other cheques belonging to individuals and businesses worth more than US$8.1mil, then cashed or attempted to cash them at lenders throughout Southern California.
Albert Tai Vu, of Westminster, and Cassandra Marie Murrillo, of San Diego, are the other two defendants charged in the case.
According to the indictment, between April 2022 and December 2023, the trio obtained the stolen cheques, some containing tax refunds and veterans' and Social Security Administration benefits, then forged endorsements or modified names and addresses to steal the money.
The trio is accused of opening bank accounts to receive the money. They also used business documents to impersonate the identities of the victims connected to the stolen cheques and deposited the money into bank and credit union accounts across Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, the indictment says.
During this period, Obayuwana allegedly tried to cash at least three Treasury tax refund cheques worth US$382,109 and was successful in cashing one, withdrawing US$229,109, federal authorities allege.
In December 2023, Obayuwana "possessed in his car in Oceanside more than 100 stolen or fraudulent cheques, cumulatively worth more than US$6.1mil," states the indictment. Among the cheques were 48 stolen Treasury checks worth some $2,555,417 in tax refunds, veterans' benefits,and Social Security benefits.
Obayuwana was able to cash eight of them worth about US$1.7mil, according to federal investigators.
Vu tried to cash at least six Treasury cheques totaling US$2.15mil and successfully cashed two tax fund refunds worth US$772,159, the indictment says. He also allegedly cashed a pair of cashier's cheques, each valued at US$250,000, at an Anaheim bank and used money from one to buy a Range Rover and the second to pay Murillo.
Murillo is accused of trying to cash at least two cheques worth US$60,193, successfully cashing one for US$31,405.
Following his arrest, Obayuwana remains in federal custody. He is charged with nine counts of bank fraud and faces three counts of delivering stolen Treasury cheques and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Vu, who was arrested Thursday, is charged with five counts of delivering stolen Treasury cheques, four counts of money laundering and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Murillo, who is expected to surrender to federal authorities in Los Angeles on Monday, is charged with an additional count of delivering stolen Treasury cheques. - Los Angeles Times/TNS
