More Than 600 Checks Totaling $5M+ Stolen By 5 Prince George's County Residents: DOJ

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Five Prince George's County residents have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, bank fraud and related charges after prosecutors say they stole more than 600 checks worth at least $5 million. One of the individuals charged works for the U.S. Postal Service.

• Tianna Cosby, a/k/a “Mendoza,” 23, Upper Marlboro
• Marche Sisco, 26, Suitland
• Tommi Cosby, 21, District Heights
• Biniah Carter, 24, Upper Marlboro
• Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon, 22, Bowie

Tianna Cosby and Biniah Carter were arrested Jan. 19. Law enforcement has not yet located Marche Sisco, Tommi Cosby and Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon.

According to the 18-count indictment, Tianna Cosby and Sisco stole personal and business checks from the mail. Sisco works as a USPS mail handler assistant at the Washington Network Distribution Center, which is where she stole the checks. Additional checks were taken from USPS collection boxes.

The indictment also alleges that Tianna Cosby, Tommi Cosby, Carter and Adeduwon recruited “account mules” – individuals whose bank accounts are used to deposit illegally acquired checks and proceeds of the scheme. The conspirators then collected and shared account mule information, which included banking and identity information. The defendants allegedly also used and transferred the means of identification of at least five identity theft victims.

As detailed in the indictment, the conspirators altered the stolen checks to reflect payment to account mules, deposited the fraudulent checks into the bank accounts belonging to the account mules, then engaged in financial transactions, including ATM withdrawals and account transfers, to access the money.

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud and for each count of bank fraud; and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each count of aggravated identity theft.