'Shiesty 66' Gang Member Indicted In COVID Fraud Scheme: DA

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Prosecutors say that a Westchester gang member was living the high life from a complicated bank scheme that included an attempt to scam millions in tax dollars set aside to help Americans survive the pandemic.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Friday that eight alleged members or associates of the "Shiesty 66" gang, including a 24-year-old man from New Rochelle, have been indicted for a huge bank fraud scheme that allegedly netted them over $10 million, after an investigation by the Office’s Investigations Division, the NYPD, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

"The defendants allegedly conspired to steal millions of dollars, recruiting vulnerable people as partners in fraud. At one point, they allegedly attempted to steal $12.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds," Clark said. "The defendants allegedly spent the money as quickly as they stole it, on luxury items."

According to court documents, the investigation started in November 2021 after reports of shots fired near East 166th St. and Sheridan Ave. in the Bronx led to the identification of alleged members of the "Shiesty 66" gang. Authorities said that public social media profiles of the gang showed some of its members were allegedly involved in "card-cracking," in which they recruited people on social media to give them access to their debit card information, deposited a phony check in the account, immediately withdrew cash at an ATM, gave the account owner a kickback and then the card was reported stolen.

Officials say that between April 28, 2022, and September 11, 2023, the defendants took part in a card-cracking, check-washing, and bank fraud scheme. They allegedly exploited loopholes in the banking system to commit fraud throughout the tri-state area and the West Coast.

"The defendants, members of the 'Shiesty 66' gang, allegedly conspired to steal checks from the mail worth millions of dollars. These stolen funds were allegedly used to support the defendants’ lavish lifestyles," Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division, Daniel B. Brubaker, said. "This far-reaching investigation by Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners involved victims from across the country. Postal Inspectors work aggressively to pursue mail thieves and protect our customers from falling victim to fraudulent schemes. Today’s indictments are a shining example of our partnership with the NYPD, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The message to other would-be mail thieves is this: we will utilize every resource at our disposal, travel across the country to identify victims, and leverage every partnership to bring you to justice."

At one point, one of the defendants attempted to get the information needed to deposit a stolen $12.6 million U.S. Treasury check meant for Mount Sinai Medical Center as part of COVID relief funds.

Authorities say the defendants allegedly used the stolen funds to buy clothing from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier, and Burberry; watches from Rolex and Audemars Piguet; and lavish trips where they chartered boats in Paris, Miami, Kuwait, and other locations.

Those indicted include:

• Souleman Traore, AKA "Solo," 24, New Rochelle
• Lahaji Traore, AKA "Soufi," 24, Bronx
• Amadou Balde, 24, Bronx
• Moussa Cisse, 23, Bronx
• Abubacarr Daffeh, AKA AB, 25, Bronx
• Seth Young, AKA Lemonhead, 25, Bronx
• Keon Gulley, 31, Carroll Place Bronx
• Sekou Kaloka, 29, Bronx

The district attorney said the defendants were variously charged with enterprise corruption, grand larceny, forgery, criminal possession of stolen property, and related charges. They were all arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Clancy, who set bail on six defendants and remanded two defendants. They are due back in court on November 19.

"The Secret Service is proud to join with its law enforcement partners in announcing the indictment of these reputed gang members who, as alleged, thought nothing of planning exorbitant acts of fraud to fleece taxpayers in the name of personal gain," Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office Patrick J. Freaney said. "Our investigators are committed to disrupting this type of wanton criminality, particularly when the fraud seeks to exploit funding dedicated to those in dire need."

District Attorney Clark thanked Mary Jo Blanchard, Counsel to the Investigations Division, Trial Preparation Assistants Debra Abreu of the Financial Frauds Bureau and Alexandra Tomkin of the Investigations Division, Intelligence Analyst Jonathan Mulhern of the Crime Strategies Bureau, Principal Accountant Investigator Jim Antonino, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office Digital Forensic Laboratory for their assistance in the case.

She also thanked NYPD Detective Ryan Blair of the Violent Crime Squad, NYPD Intelligence Research Specialist Britney Ford, NYPD Detective Daniel Alessandrino of the Financial Crimes Task Force, Special Frauds Squad; U.S. Secret Service Agent Christine Miller, and U.S. Postal Service Inspector Tad Conklin for their work on the investigation.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jaclyn Wood, Supervisor in the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Pia Freedman of the Financial Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Newton Mendys, Chief of the Violent Enterprise Bureau, Herman Wun, Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau, and Craig Cecchini, Chief of the Special Investigations Bureau, under the overall supervision of Denise Kodjo, Deputy Chief of Investigations Division and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, Chief of Investigations Division.