Providence Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud
PROVIDENCE – A citizen of Liberia residing in Providence who participated in a fraud scheme to create and deposit fraudulent checks and then quickly withdraw the funds from banks before the fraud was discovered was sentenced today to forty-one months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Maximillian Mwah, 39, previously admitted to a federal judge that he conspired with others to create and deposit numerous counterfeit checks drawn on the accounts of individuals and businesses, including local law firms.
As part of the scheme, conspirators recruited individuals with bank accounts who were willing to deposit the counterfeit checks and then quickly withdraw the resulting funds. Court records show that Mwah often communicated via Facebook messenger with a leader of the fraud scheme, and with others, about effectuating the fraud.
Mwah pleaded guilty on December 20, 2022, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a charge of bank fraud. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to forty-one months in federal prison to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Mwah was ordered to pay restitutions to banks defrauded totaling $8,404.24.
An immigration detainer has been lodged against Mwah by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; he faces removal from the United States.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI, United States Secret Service, ATF, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, and Delaware State Police.
